May Shadows guide us
by LordGrimos
Summary: The shadows hide many things ancient things that must be kept secret... Until an incident involving the leader of our favorite team plunges the students of beacon into a situation involving magic, secrets and the monsters worst yet better than Grimm. OR The Vampire AU No one asked for.
1. A Shadow in the Moonlight

**Rwby belongs to Rooster teeth and Monty Oum**

 **The OC's are mine**

 **ENJOY! [Remade first chapter and second into one!]**

Shadows cloaked the city of Vale as a young up and coming huntress walked towards the airship port to catch a ride back to Beacon from her recent excursion to purchase ammunition for her precious Crescent Rose. However, she was unaware of the presence in the shadows not far from where she stood. The girl, with her red tinted hair glinting in the light of the passing street lamp, was passing the alley in which the presence hid. Out from his place of concealment he thrust his claws, wrapping around her shoulders and with an unnatural strength, tossed the squirming silver eyed youth deeper into the alleyway, causing her to land face first into the ground, eliciting a slight crunch as the girl tumbled before recovering.

Ruby quickly scrambled to her feet reaching out for Crescent Rose while scanning for the figure who had struck her. She spotted her attacker out of the corner of her eye before feeling the air leave her lungs, and the cold embrace of unconsciousness trying to wash over her, as she was thrown against the wall. Now the man stood over her. "Do not struggle if you wish this to not be any more painful for you." Ruby stood for a moment, then spun in place quickly, attempting to catch the man off guard, swinging her scythe in an arc that should have decapitated the stranger, but instead her scythe passed through air and as she spun she saw the figure above her before the sole of a boot met her face knocking her over. "Now now little one, children shouldn't play with big scary scythes." The man drawled as he took a firm grip of the scythe and tossed it to the side, looming above Ruby, pinning her with his boot as Cresant Rose clattered against the ground. "I do have to inject you with a bit of 'medicine'!" As he leaned down he drew out a needle filled with a black liquid that churned like a raging storm. The man leaned down stabbing the needle into her neck and injecting the concoction into the unconscious girl before standing and discarding the needle off to the side before once again coalescing slowly back into the shadows that lined the rooftops.

Time passed and then from around the corner footsteps could be heard before two men, one of average build with grey hair and a green themed suit while the other was wearing a black cloak and hood. Ozpin the headmaster of Beacon spotted the red hood first walking quickly over he leaned over the unconscious form. " ? Are you feeling alri-" he saw the small amount of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth and kneeling down he checked her fading pulse before looking around quickly. His companion stood up from their crouched position holding a needle. "Oz, This is nightengale poison… whoever did this did it quick and left." The hooded man hurried over to his ally investigating the state the young huntress was in.

"Nightengale? I thought your troops destroyed the last of that cursed poison?" Ozpin was angry to say the least a possible betrayal and a possible murder on his hands he had to think quickly. Nightengale was a poison from the days of war that came before the academies and had been renowned for being capable of killing people through the most gory of means over varying lengths of time from the inside out. "The hospitals aren't equipped to handle Nightingale do you think it would save if we…" Ozpin was cut off as his ally flipped the girl onto her back gently, careful to not harm her any more than she already was. " I know what you're thinking if she becomes like me she has a chance at survival….It's worth a shot." He leaned down opening his maw the creature not faunus nor human sunk his fangs into the girl's throat before retracting and opening her mouth slightly. "May the cursed souls bind the living and dead, may the Damned gods forgive our countless sins, May All whom live on this world live another day, I Grimoire Lord in Vale butcher of men and Faunus alike beg leave to create a new Vampiric soul tonight." Ozpin watched the small event it would be a speck in time but in the young huntresses life it was a huge leap into the darkness of a new order that he himself feared.

"So what should I tell her team?" Ozpin asked, knowing how Long will react he needed to do something. "Give me a day with her she'll be disoriented with her new senses and such." Grimoire explained as the two stood the vampyre holding the girl as if she weighed nothing. "You know where we'll be Ozpin and if they get impatient bring 'em down and let them see my hold that sits under Beacon." The vampire vanished in a cloud of darkness which seemed to pass unnoticed until the two figures were gone. "I just hope we made the right decision here." Ozpin stated remembering times of old when wars were truly filled with monsters and demons, and how the rulers of Remnant had created them in the first place.

Ruby opened her eyes to a dim light and shadows moving around her. "Where am I?" The young huntress attempted to sit up only for pain to flash through her side. She dropped back down groaning in pain. She then noticed she was wearing a red nightgown with a black teardrop stitched into it.

"I see the Young Lady has awoken from her slumber hmmm?" Ruby looked to her left to see a man tall and thin yet with a sense of foreboding about him, he had long black hair tied into a ponytail behind his head, his eyes were a steely grey almost silver with a tint of red. He wore a simple black tunic with a shoulder cape that went to the elbow which led to his arm and hand that had a black ring wrapped about it. "Who are you and where am I?" Ruby was warry, she last remembered being attacked by someone in an ally and that was all she could recall, nothing else after it.

"I am unimportant right now but first my own question, do you know of the legend of the Vampyres?" Ruby remembered the legends of the vampiric creatures that had supposedly died out fighting during the great war against the grimm and kingdoms. "Ya but aren't they extinct?" They had to be, it had been hundreds of years and fairy tails were just that tails right?

The man nodded, "That is the official statement but we did not die we simply decided to fade to the shadows and not bother the kingdoms until the next great war erupts where we will be called to halt the bloodshed, again." The vampire looked down at the frightened girl now looking for a weapon. "Do you remember what happened to you last night?" At this Ruby stopped and nodded, eyeing him questioningly.

"I remember being attacked by some guy in an alley while I was coming back with upgrades for Crescent Rose, He caught me by surprise and , well, knocked me out." The man nodded. "Ozpin and I found you, you had been injected with the poison called Nightingale it's supposed to kill over a few days and would have turned your insides to mush by now if Ozpin had not allowed my intervention." As he stated this Ruby began to frantically check herself for any injuries which she could not find until the man coughed.

Ruby watched him confused as he stood and walked around the small chamber to move some various items around such as a mirror, a small bag ruby recognized as the new parts she had purchased and her beloved weapon crescent rose moving the weapon from leaning by the door to her side table. "Sooo why am I not feeling pain and bleeding like a faucet?"

The Vampire smiled at this unnerving the girl, "We had to take precautions so in short I made you a vampire." a moment of complete silence heavy as a mountain in the room. "YOU WHAT?!"

"You heard me Ozpin and I had two options so we chose the one that would allow you to continue living." Ruby was now shocked now looking at the hand mirror she saw that her eyes now had a blood red tint to them along with two fangs long and sharp. "So this means I have to drink the blood of normal people now doesn't it?" She seemed afraid probably of what her friends and family would think of her now. "No we do not drink human nor faunus blood, not anymore."

"Than what do we eat to survive?" The Young Vampiric huntress asked confusion evident in her eyes. The older vampire raised an eyebrow. "Take a guess there are no cases of humans and faunus being found drained of blood and murdered around the city so what do you think we drink?"

"Animal blood?" Grimoire chuckled. "No young one something dark enough to force the creation of the huntsmen." Ruby's eyes widened. "Grimm?" The vampire nodded."Bingo was his name-o." He stated

"But how? Grimm standardly become smoke and ash when they die right?" The girl was speaking quickly but to the old vampire it was as if she was simply speaking normally.

"We made weapons to drain the grimm of blood then preserve it within the weapons storage area to be accessed later. Which reminds me your weapon doesn't have that function correct?" The vampire asked.

"Ya I guess you're right there.. But you still haven't answered my question who are you where are we?!" The Rose exploded into her questions without mercy. "I am Lord Grimoire leader of the vampires in the kingdom of vale, You are in the ancient catacomb city of Chains-gate the stronghold of the Vampires within vale." Grimoire explained.

"So I guess we're not near beacon are we?" She stated more than asked. "Actually this city was made underneath beacon so technically you're just a few hundred floors under your team." Ruby seemed to perk up at that."Does that mean I can go back home?" She asked her expression hopeful. "Nien not yet little one you must first learn completely what you are and how to manage the new power you wield in your new soul."

"Awwww… Wait what powers?" She was curious now with a small spark in her eye. "Well first we have to show you around Chain Gate and get your new equipment you will need on the surface." Grimoire explained.

The girl whooped jumping out of the bed and rushing the door only to realise one thing. "Where are my clothes? I kinda need those to go into a public ish setting." Grimoire smiled for a moment, "Well your clothes needed to be stitched up so you can wear them, wear this in the meantime." Held out a bundle of folded clothes gesturing for her to take them.

"I'll be outside waiting just call If you have trouble with the ties." The grinning vampire walked out of the room leaving a confused Ruby to change into her clothes. She looked at the clothes thankful that her cloak was among the mass of red.

A short time later Ruby strode out of the room wearing a red tunic black pants and a pair of leather boots along with her usual cloak. As she exited her room she looked either way down the hall at all of the other doors that lined the hall, she spotted Grimoire standing at the end of the hall and as she walked up next to him what she saw next was truly an interesting sight.

To call this place large was an understatement grande arches and bridges criss crossed the hole that the city was built into, Vampires could be seen walking along the walkways, talking in front of small shops worked into the wall, and occasionally she saw one climb up or down the wall to get to the other floors or locations. "Welcome to chains-gate home of the vampires within vale." Grimoire stated a smile upon his lips as he did so. "I didn't know beacon was on top of a huge cave…" Ruby whispered still trying to collect her now wild thoughts. "Well we're far enough down that the people upstairs don't have to worry about cave ins I saw to that myself."

As they walked around the city going from floor to floor via the massive stair system someone shouted out to them. "Hey Grimoire wait up boss!" The two turned to see a massive cat faunus towering over everyone bound up to them, His hair was black, pale skin, 6' 2" at most and one cat ear was torn slightly. He wore a black and white checkered tunic and black pants. "Who's the new kid?" He asked

"She is one of Ozpin's students the leader of the team called RWBY I believe." Grimoire explained. "Oh, well hello Ruby I'm Ashford, Ashford Belladonna." A few beats of silence as Ruby looked back eyes wide. "Do I have something on my face?" He asked while raising an eyebrow.

"No but do you know a cat faunus by the name of Blake Belladonna?" This time Ashford looked back eyes wide. "You know Blake?, Where is she how's she been?, Is she OK?" The rapid fire questions were put to an end with Grimoire raising his hand. "Calm down Ash you're scaring her enough already just let her gather her thoughts before you continue interrogating her." Ashford nodded. "Blake joined beacon and is a proud member of team RWBY and we have been trying to find out what the white fang has been up to. Also she is well the last time I saw her she and my sister yang were having a conversation on puns and if they can go too far." Ashford raised an eyebrow to this. "Well it's good to hear she's well and with friends."

"So how did she become one of us?" Grimoire shook his head with a heavy sigh. "Remember Brutus? I think he betrayed us since he left for the white fang and refused to return, I thought it just a stage but no he has Nightingale poison and Ruby here was his first target." The Faunus growled. "Never got a good vibe from him anyways." Grimoire nodded. "So this mean we gonna have to come out of hiding to wage war?" Grimoire nodded again this time a sad look on his face mixed with something akin to anger. "Unfortunately yes we will, standard protocol will be in effect." He explained. "OK I gotta run tell me when they come to get her or we go to bring them down here I want in!" Ash shouted as he ran across another bridge towards a group of vampires training with staffs.

"We're here." Ruby looked up at the massive double doors with the word 'Armory' over a line of strange cryptic symbols. "Come on I'm going to give you one of my hollow blades." She raised an eyebrow "Hollow blade? what's that?" Grimoire smiled at her. "A hollow blade is like a needle the inside of the blade is hollow meant to store the grimm blood so we can store it for later." Ruby nodded as they walked through the hallway of the armory towards the back. As they came to a halt in front of a smaller door Grimoire opened it showing hundreds of swords, spears, knives, and other bladed weapons which Ruby drooled at. "Hey catch." Ruby lifted her hands fast enough to catch a short sword. "That was my brothers sword before he died he used it as a secondary weapon."

"What's its name?" Grimoire smiled, "Repentance." His voice was filled with pride as if he was happy about the blade having a new master. Ruby drew the blade observing its blade which had a hooked cross guard with the blade becoming wider by the guard and thinner by the tip at the hilt was a skull engraved into the steel smiling almost kindly at its new wielder. "Forged of Cursed steel harder than any other that blade can kill a Deathstalker easily in the hands of any hunter." Ruby nodded "Sooo now what." Grimoire smiled. "We train you to become a proper vampiric huntress." With that they walked out of the armory the sword strapped to Ruby's hip. On the way out she noticed he had grabbed a rather large blade. "Is that your sword?" He nodded. "Ragnarok this blades seen battles that would make normal huntsman scream like little cowards." He smiled as they walked further up and into a large office with a large desk dominating the middle of the room a high backed chair set behind it. Around the room there were numerous tables with vampires working at them on everything from paperwork to rune-work on weapons. "Alright you see Ashford over there?" Ruby nodded at where Grimoire pointed. "He will be giving you assignments for your training see him I'll be at my desk if you need anything."

As Ruby strolled over to Ashford she noticed a few Vampires looking at her with curious glances until she was at the massive Faunus's desk. "Hello Ruby I assume you're here to begin your basic training?" She nodded. "Yessir, I was just wondering what is with all the flashes I assumed they were semblances but they can't be too many people using the same type of power." He chuckled "That my friend is magic we use it for all sorts of business from forging weapons like repentance there to casting attack spells, in other words it's a second set of powers not related to aura." She nodded somewhat catching on to what he was saying. "So where do I start?" She asked the giant as he stood up. "You start with your basic spellcasting with me I will teach you the basics but you first may need something to eat I assume The Boss forgot to mention we can have human food?" She nodded. "Alright we may as well go in a minute I need to grab a few things." With that he left Ruby to wonder why these Vampires didn't behave like the fierce myth that was based on them though she also thought that now that she was one of them it would take awhile to adjust.

 **A/N: So yeah I am re writing the first few chapters since I feel they do not flow as well as they could and since I feel that It may take longer for the recent chapters to be updated. Also Reviewing helps… alot**

 **Thank you for reading and I hope to see you all again soon[ish]!**

 **Please leave a review and follow**


	2. Lets go say hello to the neighbors!

**Welcome to another chapter of this fanfic! once again Rwby belongs to Rooster teeth and Monty.**

 **Also if you feel like suggesting anything go ahead!**

[Beacon Team RWBY's Dorm]

Yang paced the room her hair burning slightly as she and the others were wondering where Ruby had disappeared to the previous night. Weiss and Blake were sitting on their respective beds while team Jnpr was sitting around the room with Jaune and Pyrrha looking over a map on the main desk of the room with Ren and Nora sitting on the ground Ren reading online news articles while Nora fussed over Magnhild planning on breaking the legs of whoever may have hurt her friend. Ruby had told them she would be getting a shipment of supplies for her weapon projects and ammunition for Crescent Rose. "Where could she have gone…." Blake asked aloud the room was full of the members of both team Rwby and Jnpr all waiting for a plan of action to take in order to find their comrade after their initial search had failed.

"Im going to go look again." Yang was quiet almost whispering to herself as she walked towards the door. "Then so will we, She may be your sister but she's our friend as well." Weiss stated as she and blake got up to follow Jnpr matching the action. As Yang's hand met the doorknob the door swung open revealing a tired looking Ozpin. "Haven't found her yet?" Yang shot back surprised at him standing immediately in front of their door before asking aloud. "Well no we were about to go look again so that we can at least get a clue on what's going on."

Ozpin nodded gesturing for them to follow him he walked through the halls of Beacon with seven worried teens behind him. "I have a question for you all, whom has heard the story of the blood reaper and the first knight?" Jaune and Yang perked up, "Ya but what does it have to do with this?" Ozpin stopped in front of a door ancient looking and rusting at the hinges. "What happened to miss Rose is going to cause some serious ripples both in the political world and in the normal persons world." Yang broke the brief silence by asking the one question on her mind. "Is Ruby alright I mean it's been almost a day she never leaves for this long!" Ozpin looked back before sighing, "Your sister was attacked by an unknown agent working for the white fang by the looks of it the good thing is a comrade of mine decided to use the power available to him to help her survive to ordeal with a few… side effects which he himself will explain when we arrive where he and his people are hiding." Everyone watched with numerous questions on their lips as Ozpin opened the door revealing an ancient stone staircase leading down. "And down into the master of death's domain we go." With that last Eerie comment Ozpin began walking down the staircase when he heard no one else following he looked back. "Come on now we should see if she is at least adjusting alright?" The seven students nodded before walking down after him into the darkness lit only by the occasional torch or light bulb.

"Is there a faster way to get there?" Ozpin nodded "We are nearing the 'Hollentor' as my ally calls it should be a few floors more." As he said this they arrived with Professor Goodwitch waiting for them. "Well nevermind its right here, hello Ms. Goodwitch shall we proceed?" The students looked over the strange door with fascination, it was covered in several layers of police tape, graffiti and 'DO NOT ENTER' signs.

"Cheery place..." Jaune muttered keeping his voice low

"Are we sure it's safe I mean the door looks kind of well… eh?" As Pyrrha stated the obvious fact that the door was not up to any standard it swung open forcing everyone to step back before the air in the tunnel began venting into the door. "Well we don't really have much choice this is the only way I know of that leads to his abode!"

"Wait Who is this guy anyways?, You haven't said a thing about him!" Weiss shouted.

"Well he DOES have your team leader under his care AND you agreed by coming here so may as well just get it over with!" Professor Goodwitch shouted over the wind as Ozpin stepped into the abyss of strange darkness. Weiss was about to protest before Yang walked into the portal followed by Blake and Team JNPR. "Why am I with the crazy generation?" Weiss asked herself before she too stepped into the portal followed by Professor Goodwitch.

 **I apologize for the short chapter but I really can't spare time with these Damn Finals everywhere so when summer comes prepare for better writing!**

 **Also expect edits to the last chapters ill be editing them overtime and adding details.**

 **If you enjoyed the story please Follow and Favorite!**


	3. A tour in the halls

**Rwby is property of Rooster teeth and Monty Oum**

A low growl emanated from the shadows not banished by the overhanging lights in one of chains-gate's many hallways startling one and surprising another. "What was that?" Ruby asked reaching for Crescent Rose.

"Just one of the dogs is all, C'mere boy come on out!" As ashford called to the hidden creature. Prowling out of the shadows was a large dog [Irish red setter] which had an overabundance of red and white fur and two big brown eyes scanning Ruby with curiosity. "Hey there Ceann! C'mon she's a nice person." The dog looked to Ashford then Ruby before treading forward and sniffing Ruby before growling a minor amount. "Do you have a dog?" Ashford asked as Ceann sniffed a bit more before sitting down and watching.

"Ya, a corgi his names Zwei and he's absolutely adorable!" While Ruby spoke of her own beloved pet Ashford decided they get back to their original task."We should be nearing the blood storage so get ready." Ruby nodded before asking,"You said we eat normal food as well right?, I thought vampires suffer if they did that."

Ashford shook his head. "That was the old generation of vampires, We are the new generation created 20 years before the war." As he spoke they rounded a corner passing by other vampires who nodded to Ashford in respect. "We were well 'made' to accept normal food in case of an insane situation which had led previously to old generation vampires being killed off by local hunters or armies." Ruby nodded slightly she figured they had to be prepared for just about anything including being stuck in a mortals home."Does the food stave off hunger as usual or does it do something strange to us?"

"No and before you ask the reason we have to drink the grimm blood is because food doesn't really help us nutrient wise, we can still eat 'normal food', but as more of a luxury, a simple pleasure." Ruby nodded slightly as they rounded the corner to see a mass gathering of vampires in all sorts of attires from simple cloaks over tunics to ornate armor and weapons strapped to their hips. Quite a few of the vampires turned to nod to Ashford before returning to the cups of bright red liquid they held.

Ashford walked over to the bar which had many barrels lined on the wall behind it, He asked for two normal Grimm blood serums and gestured for Ruby to come sit, "These aren't alcoholic for your information there are serums that contain alcohol but I tend not to drink them." Ruby nodded as the man came back with two cups of bright red liquid and placed them down noticing Ruby he brought out a glass of water as well, Ruby seeing this turned to Ashford with a look of surprise.

"The first sip is always bitter then it starts tasting sweeter and gradually you will get used to it." with that Ashford lifted the cup to his lips and drank the whole thing in a single go. Ruby looked at the liquid sloshing in her cup and with a tad of courage lifted it to her lips and drank a small amount. "Gah!" That was the sourest drink Ruby had ever drank, she slammed the cup down reaching for the water. She heard chuckling and turned to see Ashford chuckling lightly. "Exact same reaction as everyone else or at least to my knowledge"

Ruby blinked a few times confused before looking at the red drink and once again trying to sip from it, only this time it was sweet like a cold slushie that wasn't well slushied. Before she knew what was going on she had drunk the entire glass. After draining her glass something occurred to Ruby. "What type of magic did Grimoire mention?, Does it act like a semblance or..." Ashford thought for a few seconds before responding. "The magic that we use is different than that in fantasy and legend. Very much different. You see, Vampyres tend to have rather strong Auras compared to other beings." Ashford stood up after placing a few coins on the bar and gestured for her to follow. "From this, we learned that we could manipulate this large pool of energy, and shape it, use it for a variety of things. It is much like using a Semblence, however, it is is something you must learn."

As they walked Ruby took a closer look at Chains-gate. The city itself was built into the walls with bridges and plazas sitting over the nothingness supported by beams of steel. In some plazas there were groups of vampires training with swords, spears, axes, and a whole manner of weaponry she hadn't even dreamed of. "Thats Baron Krieg's training ground he's in charge of most of the martial training for the local vampire population." Ruby took a closer look seeing a man whom was short and portly directing a formation of vampyres in drills.

Ashford turned left into a tunnel Ruby following close behind with Ceann tailing behind. Further down the corridor was a large door with the a swirling white vortex painted onto it. "This is the library of Aura Manipulation, or in other words, where we learn most of our spells and how to use them in the field." Ruby's shoulders slumped at the mention of having to go through books to learn how to use her aura in a new way.

As they entered through the door a friendly voice called out to them. "Hello, welcome to Chains gate's library on the arcane arts." The man was familiar in some way in his dress shirt and slacks, with a pair of muttonchops gracing his lower jaw. "Hello Tuckson, it's good to see you are recovering from the attack on your surface shop. It must have been tough to just take it." Ashford shook Tucksons hand while a massive grin split across his face.

As the two exchanged pleasantries, Ruby peered around Ashford at the massive library stocked from floor to ceiling with books. She watched the people inside, a number of them wearing light grey pellegrinas bearing a small emblem of a dark leather bound tome wrapped tightly by a chain. They carried small notebooks, and as they walked among the shelves that seemed to go on forever, they would slide various texts, some small and some thicker than their arms, from the shelves, scribbling quickly in their notebooks and then returning them to their original place.

"Who's she? I've seen everyone here at least once so she has to be new." Ruby noticed the sudden attention she was getting and quickly introduced herself."So your that child prodigy I heard about?, Im impressed not many people get into Beacon or become vampires at such a young age, and yet here you are breaking records like a hammer to glass bowls!" Tuckson smiled at her before turning to Ashford, "So what do you two need exactly?"

"We're here for 'A Beginners Guide to Aura Manipulation', Do you have it?" Tuckson put his hand to his jaw stroking it for a few seconds before slipping under his desk. They heard items being moved about and the occasional grumble before they heard a triumphant cry echo from under the desk. "Here you two go a single copy of 'A Beginners Guide to Aura Manipulation'!, Try not to burn out another classroom this time Ash." Ashford nodded his thanks to Tuckson before he and Ruby left the library.

"He was… Interesting." Ruby stated while they walked. Ashford chuckled, "Tuckson has an interesting way of talking to people he counts as friends." He explained. Ruby then remembered a part of the conversation that now bugged her since she knew she had heard the name Tuckson before somewhere.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a rumbling began above them. "Strange no one's supposed to know about that door, well except Ozpin so its probably him." Ruby raised an eyebrow to Ashfords statement. "There's an entrance to Beacon up there?" Ashford nodded simply answering, "We still need to teach you a few things about our laws and such but until then lets go see the boss, He's probably confused since Ozpin wasn't supposed to be down here, He was supposed to be here by tomorrow."

The older Vampire gestured for her to follow as they walked up the floors to where Grimoires office was. As they walked up to the office they saw Kriegs group fast marching in the same direction with a colorful array of armor and weapons equipped. "MOVE FASTER ASH!, WE'VE GOT VISITORS!" As the troop came closer Ashford and Ruby gradually gained speed as well trying to outrun the Baron of war behind them.

As they finally reached the floor Grimoires office was on they rushed to the door and upon opening it Ruby and Ashford were launched in by the press of troops behind them landing with terrific crashes behind Grimoires desk and seat. "SORRY!" Krieg roared as he entered the room with his troop.

As Ruby staggered to her feet she heard a stampede of footfalls before she was hoisted into the air by a crushing bearhug. "RUBY!, What happened are you ok?" As yang continued to squeeze her sister the rest of the room was in a state of confusion due to Kriegs sudden entrance.

"Krieg what did I tell you about bringing the guard troop into my office while we have visitors?" Krieg looked around sheepishly before responding. "Not to bring them?" Grimoire nodded as he stood from his desk and walked past the students, before stopping in front of the troop of scared looking vampires."Yes that is what I told you and what did I say I would do if you DID bring your troop into this office?"

Krieg turned pale and slowly began to back up. "Throw me down five floors?" Grimoire shook his head grabbing the smaller vampire by the arm and dragging him. "That is others of our kind Krieg, for humans its TEN!" As he shouted ten he threw the smaller man out of the office and into the abyss where upon after 30 seconds of silence there was a crash. Grimoire turned about on his heel walking back to his desk before taking his seat. "Now then who wants to know why miss Rose had to be taken here?"

 **I FUCKED UP.**

 **I'm late as hell I know but then again. BIG ASS CHAPTER FOR YA!**

 **I hope to finish the next chap by next week this time and hopefully I achieve proper formation of words.**

 **Until next time. Fave and follow!**


	4. So lets continue these antics of ours!

**RWBY belongs to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth**

The office as spacious as it was with all of the other desks and workbenches was quiet in the midst of Grimoires question. As the silence continued Ashford staggered to his feet while holding Grimoires seat in an attempt to stabilize himself. "Boss, remind me again why Krieg is the Baron of War?, I mean he is a good-."

"A good what Ashford?, A good fighter?, Tactician?, maybe a… Oh I see why you paused." The tension in the room tripled as Blake gawked at her father unaware of her comrades curious looks. A small chuckle was heard by the group as Grimoire sat back in his seat. "Oh THIS is going to get real interesting real quick, YO KRIEG! GET THE CAMERA WILL YOU?" The students along with Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch stared at him confused as Blake and Ashford continued their strange stare off.

"So how long is this going to go?" Grimoire asked. Before anyone could respond a pair of blurs sped through the group before storming through the rest of the of these blurs smashed into Ashford knoking him over and another launched itself at Ruby and Yang, with a semi unfortunate Weiss being within the crash zone toppling the trio Zwei immediatly attacked Ruby with a storm of slobber and whining. "OK a lot longer than I thought… Ceann stop licking Ash's face he was in the middle of something." Grimoire turned back to the rest of the group once again making an effort to continue the conversation as to why Ruby was within Chains gate.

"So Ozzy, We agreed that you would come down here with her team to check on her Tomorrow correct?" The room became silent in seconds as Grimoire's eyes locked with Ozpin's. "I did agree to that, but I would rather not have a student who is capable of destroying Grimm in droves go on a rampage looking for her sister."

Several seconds of silence before Grimoire began to chuckle. "No we wouldn't want that would we?" His expression returned to a relaxed smile as he stood up from his seat stretching his arms above his head as he did so. "So have you told them why miss Rose is down here? From their reactions I can tell that you haven't told them." Ozpin shook his head.

"I see well we have figured out who attacked her." Yang shot back up from her position obviously about to shout something. "Hold your thought since I actually want to get you all up to date on this." Grimoire took the silence as his cue to continue. "Two nights ago Ruby Rose was ambushed by a vampire this vampire was one of the citizens who lived within these walls, The last time I saw him he was storming out one of the other city exits, Currently he is a traitor and attempted to kill Miss Rose with a poison called Nightingale, Who here knows what Nightingale is?"

"Nightingale is a long term poison meant to make the target suffer for a few days and then die, the symptoms are as follow. Bleeding from every available orifice, insanity, nausea. Thats all I can remember but there is probably more right?" Grimoire nodded. "The poison thankfully was only meant for Mortal beings such as Humans and Fauni so from everything you've seen so far what do you think the residents of this city are?" Grimoire raised an eyebrow knowing that they should remember an earlier part of the conversation which appears they did with Pyrrha, Ren and Weiss reached for weapons while the others were dumbfounded.

"So you're a vampire?" Weiss asked drawing her weapon halfway before she noticed Ozpin shaking his head. "That he is as well as every other soul that lives down here, as well as Miss Rose." Weiss was stunned to say the least processing the information in her head she deduced that Ozpin had been in on the vampire's existence for a while. "So why did you help her?" The question as well as weiss sheathing her weapon completely seemed to ease the situation slightly.

"A friend made a request of me and I really couldn't watch an innocent die through my own failure in trust." Grimoire moved forward standing in front of Weiss looking down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Now for my own question, Do you think I would kill you?" That made Ozpin's own eyebrow raise slightly since he had never learned why Grimoire didn't just take over Beacon. " It is because my brother the former King of Vampires prior to his death ordered an Edict that declared in short that all four of the kingdoms should be protected and by extension the Hunters of the kingdoms must survive for this goal to be achieved, the one downside is that we had to remain 'hidden' as in we couldn't make our presence known which I understand since if you think about it how would the four kingdoms react to a race of Immortal people both Faunus and Human whom one of could easily slaughter a regiment of standard soldiers like pigs." He smiled, "Obviously not well so we hid after the war was over we retreated or melded into society to keep an eye on the world from the shadows." He stepped back and swept his eyes across the group in front of him. "And now our mission is threatened with the betrayal of Brutus we are now standing on the edge of a dangerous cliff and if anything I fear comes true we may have to expose ourselves to prevent the kingdoms from falling." The group seemed to take a minute to process this information.

"So what you're saying is that this Brutus guy joined the Fang?" Jaune asked looking at the vampire with a sense of unease. Grimoire nodded. "Brutus was never a fan of my brother's rules and I believe the only reason we let him out was to get info on the fang, Also are you an Arc? It would certainly explain why Corceas Mors is here."

More stunned silence before Ashford spoke up. "I think they need a minute to process this boss." Grimoire laughed, "Ya I guess so, oh how about YOU take them to the lounge! You know you have some catching up to do of your own!" Grimoire let out a cackle as Ashford looked about ready to punch him in the face, before walking towards the door while gesturing for the students to follow him.

"May as well, In other words YOU have to explain to Ozpin this new psycho threat!" Ashford Grinned as he left teams Rwby+Zwei and Ceann and Jnpr. When the door closed Ashford held up his hand for the group to stop before with a small smile put one of his feline ears up to the door and gesturing for others to do the same. "3...2...1… aaaand GO."

"FUCK YOU ASH!, I TOLD YOU NO RANDOM ANTICS!" The group recoiled and Ashford began sprinting away cackling madly. "RUN, RUN NOW!" The group followed with Ruby in the lead and Jaune in the back.

Well a little late but I'm seriously looking for some peoples opinions on the story so far.

Thank you for reading and as always FAV AND FOLLOW!


	5. Revelation

**Rwby is owned by Rooster Teeth otherwise Cardin would be on crutches.**

 **[Third person POV]**

"What was that about!?" Weiss and the others had stopped with Ashford at a small lounge a few floors down. "Well that my friends was a prank, involving a potato, string, and fire dust crystal." Yang fell over laughing as well as a few others in the group primarily Nora and .

"So well here's the awkward part of this..." The group looked to the man to see him wringing his hands a hint of nervousness in his posture and standing in front of him was Blake. "Dad?"

"Hi Blake." The silence lasted all of thirty seconds before Blake slammed into her father crushing his ribs with a death grip of a hug. The rest of the group was now backed up to give them a minute to re acquaint themselves.

"Soooo gonna introduce us Blakey?" Yang grinned at her partner who shot a glare her way before folding. "Guys this is my father, Dad these are my friends." Ashford looked over the group for a few seconds before looking at Weiss with a curious glance before continuing on. "Blakey?, what other nicknames did I miss?" Ashfords smile erupted into a full on grin at seeing his daughter throwing her glare at all of them most of all Yang.

Ruby deciding to get involved before Blake strangled her sister decided to bring up her lessons on being a vampire. "Not to be rude but should they learn exactly what I am now?" The first person to respond was Nora. "OOOOH yes yes yes! I want to know EXACTLY what we could do with all the new powers! Maybe you can suck cardin's blood!" The last statement made Ashford flinch slightly enough to gain the attention of the group.

"About that... There are repercussions for drinking human or faunus blood, the blood rage which is the first time a Vampire drinks a living person's blood. To explain the event you'll need to see footage of the last bloodrage so you can gage how dangerous it can be." The students sat down on the multiple chairs in the lounge while Ash set up the video on a wide screen. "Before I start the video is anyone here afraid of blood and gore?" A moment of hesitation before Ruby and Jaune raised their hands. "I suggest you sit outside until the video ends then." Ruby and Jaune sat outside for a little more than ten minutes before the rest of their teams piled out of the room with their faces white as sheets.

"That... was HORRIFYING!" Yang the strongest one out of all of them was now looking at every vampire near them as a threat. Ashford came out of the room gesturing for them to come back in since the movie was over.

"Any questions?" The room was silent for a few moments. "Yes Miss Schnee?"

"The Vampire that stopped the rampage, He did something with his aura. What did he do?" Ashford smiled at them as he stepped into the center of the room and spread his arms.

"You all know there are multiple uses for aura correct?" They nodded. "Well that was one of the uses which as you saw had, a lethal effect upon the target. There are multiple types of aura manipulation supporting which is healing and restoring someone else's aura, Attack which is using your aura as an aggressive extension of yourself or Defensive which is what aura is mostly used for in tournaments and such." He paused to take a breath before continuing. "The difference between mortal aura users and Vampires is that vampires have one other use for their aura, Draining, Draining is one of two ways a vampire can keep itself from feasting on mortals, the other is a serum that is a mix of Grimm blood and old healing recipes from before the war." The teams were about to launch more questions before Ashford continued but he ignored them. "Draining is where the vampire can survive off of multiple people's auras to maintain their control over their bodies." Ashford then sat at one of the massive computers in the room and began typing. "I'm pulling up aura scans of the room to show you an example of what a vampire would do to drain someone." The massive screen in the front of the room flickered to life again showing nine bars of aura the faces of the auras owners popped up a second later.

"Now I want you all to figure out who I'm draining by observing the screen." The eight students watched the screen until Jaune saw his partners aura slowly dropping.

"Your draining Pyrrha, right?" Ashford smiled and seemed to relax and a smile cracked across his lips.

"Correct , now than any other questions at all?" Silence for a full minute answered his question.

"Alright no more questions on vampires, lets go see if Grimoire and Ozpin are done talking." He stopped at the door when Blake grabbed him with Yang and disappeared off to a secluded corner of the room.

Weiss was about to intervene before Ruby gestured for them to wait. "She needs to talk to him about some... personal things." Weiss raised an eyebrow at Ruby then after thinking for a minute realise something. "Her father?" Ruby nodded.

 **[Third person pov Ashford, Blake and Yang]**

Blake and Yang dragged Ashford into the small alcove before throwing him into a chair. The seconds ticked by after that until Blake's question sounded. "How are you alive?" Her voice was hoarse and Ashford saw the quiet anger in her eyes. Yang decided to intervene "Why would he be dead though?" Blake looked at her partner and before saying anything Ashford began.

"We were protesting in a smaller town on the outskirts of Vale, Someone provoked the police and the next thing we knew was that they had pulled out shotguns and began shooting. They killed a large number of us, I sent Blake back to the camp with the others and tried to draw the fire away from them." He looked at them his eyes showing a sort of sorrow. "I was hit square in the chest by a volley and when they passed us they pushed us to the ditch." He leaned forward. "Thats when Grimoire found me, He grabbed me and dragged me from the slaughter before turning me. After that I began ascending the ranks here always looking for the white fang group Blake had gone with. I was always a step behind them, Always out of reach. Then the violence started and I hoped that Blake was alright, that she would have left before something happened to her." He sighed leaning back. "I spent every free moment trying to track the group even after I lost their trail a year and a half ago, The only thing that prevented me from finding out you were at Beacon was the fact we have so few agents in the school."

Ashford took a breath preparing to launch into another long winded explanation though was interrupted by Blake whom wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Ashfords eyes shot wide open in surprise. Yang snickered "What do you think she was going to do?" Ashford looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Bad things."

 **[Third person view]**

As the three rejoined the group Ruby remembered her supplies for Crescent Rose. "Did Grimoire bring all my stuff with him or did he leave some back in the alley?" Ashford thought for a second before shaking his head. "I don't think he grabbed your bag but I think we may have some of the modifications in the workshop." The group followed Ashford as he led them further into the Vampires realm.

As they walked across one of the bridges they saw a still form laying on the bridge. "Krieg? That you buddy?" The person groaned from his position and sat up. "Anyone get the number of the train that hit me?" Ashford chuckled before leading the group on to leave the Baron of war to his own recovery.

"How is he still alive?" Ashford raised an eyebrow to Weiss's question. "Well lets see vampires can survive a whole lot of things that humans and faunus would be easily killed by." He stopped by a group of training vampires. "For example if I lose an arm I just have to stitch it back on and drink some formula or blood." Several of them cringed including Ruby who knew that she might experience the loss of a limb.

There was surprised shout behind the group followed by the sound of boots landing on stone. The group turned to a surprising sight, Lord Grimoire stood there with a definitely angry Goodwitch thrown over one shoulder and a rather confused Ozpin over the other. "Hello~" The vampiric lord greeted strolled towards them with the two Professors still over his shoulders. "Grimoire could you Please put us down before I decide to-" She was interrupted by Grimoire placing her on the ground.

Ozpin dusted himself off as he turned to the group. "It appears that with recent events your teams will be working in tandem with the forces of chains gate, Primarily due to the recent betrayal made by Brutus." As Ozpin finished that statement a crunch could be heard, and Ruby was immediately trying to take the cookies Grimoire was eating. "Oh god does he have a sugar addiction?" Ashford nodded, "After his older brother apparently." The group watched as Ruby came within grabbing range and as she grabbed his wrist a dark hand took the cookie and rose ever higher above Grimoires smirking face. The group saw the arm connected to Grimoires back seeming to be made of shadows. Ruby let out a tiny cry of dismay as she slid to the ground where Yang held her up. "Its alright Rubes we probably have better sweets back at Beacon." The two were interrupted by two cookies floating between them held by shadow hands.

After a few seconds of stunned silence the two began reaching for the cookies, Ruby being faster grabbed it and bit into it savoring the taste. Yang's reaction was far more interesting. "This... What did you use to make this?" Grimoire put a finger to his lips. "Nope." Yang and Ruby pouted at his answer.

The rest of the group was confused by Grimoires actions before Ashford shook his head with a sigh. "Dont question it I stopped a long time ago." It was at this statement that Ozpin decided to ask the question which had worried him the most. "Lord Grimoire, Miss Rose will eventually have to go back to her training unless certain people become curious of her whereabouts, which means she will have to return to class." Grimoire nodded. "I know, before you go I must tell you exactly what changes she will be going through, also what she will need to go back to the surface. First of all she will be physically stronger and faster as well as her aura being changed by the effect." The students nodded. "Second she will need a specific pill we've developed so she can go into the sunlight without burning to ash." That caught the group off guard with Yang's eyes turning slightly red for a moment. Grimoire pulled out a metallic case that was around the size of a Scroll.

"There are 30 pills in here, that means that as long as you take one each week you should be able to go outside for 210 days. In the formula department we'll just send it up since it can spoil after a bit." Ruby nodded taking the case and pocketing it in the pouch at her hip. Yang meanwhile was curious of this formula. "Whats this formula made of?" Grimoire put his hand to his chin as he thought while Ashford shook his head. "Formula was originally just made of a combination of herbs and grimm blood but with each new generation comes a new strain of formula for that generation." The group stared at the two older vampires witch said 'are you mad?' "Would you prefer us become the monsters we were prior to the war?" A curious glance from the group made him facepalm. "Ya know what Ill send up a history book for you to read on Vampyric history so you can understand." He gestured the group to follow as he walked up through the spider webbing of bridges and chains that crisscrossed the city. Nearing the top of the cavern Ashford declared he unfortunately had business to attend to and bid the Hunters in training farewell.

The group stood before the strange darkness once again with Ruby seeing it for the first time. "What is this?" She looked at Grimoire with a sideways glance. "We created this doorway out of our Aura as to allow only those of whom we feel we can trust and Vampyres through." Ruby nodded.

"Well it was awesome having you guys, come again if you have any questions, concerns yada yada bluh." Grimoire waved the group off into the shadowy portal and sighed while Ashford yawned. "I thought we didn't get tired?" Grimoire chuckled as they re entered his office. "We don't, it must be the emotional stress of seeing your kid." The two laughed at the jape before they both sobered up some.

"We're deploying the Jaegers, the fang must be stopped before they do something foolish." Ashford nodded. "You know what we'll have to do to them if they use this new resource more." Ashford nodded. "Enforce the edict upon them, there will be little mercy and few survivors if they step over that threshold." Grimoire nodded. "May whatever diety in the heavens forgive them for they are damned."

"Hell rides for blood now."

 **Well I have an excuse, also LONG ASS CHAPTER. I had to live in my basement for the duration of writing this chapter. In other news I'm hoping that more people review this series. If anyone has any suggestions for the vampires PM me. Until next time Favourite and Review!**


	6. A new face and the first blood

**Rwby is owned by Roosterteeth and The late Monty Oum**

 **I will be specifying dates in tandem to 'the war' in flashback chapters**

 **Vale harbor district**

 **Two weeks after the meeting at Chains Gate**

Teams RWBY and JNPR moved swiftly through the city of Vale's downtown district. "Do we all remember the plan?" Jaune looked to the rest of the group as they moved towards the small warehouse that was a marked White Fang facility. Ruby nodded, "Weiss and I hit from the east, Yang and Blake North, Ren and Nora to the south, you and Pyrrha from the West." Jaune nodded.

The group rounded a corner and spotted the warehouse easily. "Alright pair up and move out." The pairs spread out activating the small earphones hooked around their ears. When Weiss and Ruby got into position they noticed something strange. "Jaune hold on there's someone standing by the Eastern door." The figure continued to the door and knock until without warning the door flew off its hinges and into the air. "The unknown just tore the door off its hinges!"

"Move in!, careful for the unknown!" Ruby and Weiss moved into the warehouse but got no further than the door. "Oh dear dust..." The rest of the group entered through their doors and saw floating body parts, organs and bloated corpses floating around the room,blood seemed to float in the air as well as corpses, several of which appeared to be melting into nothingness or just simply disappearing. The figure turned to face whiterose. "I was wondering when I would meet a Vampire of Vale." He turned while holding a large crate. "I apologize for stealing your mission but these men had something that I 'left' here during my last visit."

The others moved forward. "I advise you be careful with where you step." Thin wires seemed to float around the room only being seen due to the blood dripping off them. "I see a young one among you." Ruby launched into the air in surprise, the stranger stood in front of Weiss and Ruby. The rest of the group soon surrounded the stranger.

"Who are you, What are you doing here?" The stranger turned to a queasy Jaune. "Ah an Arc, strange to see one of you here, no matter what I am doing here is gathering information and artifacts of the White Fang, they seem to have vampiric artifacts as well so if you will please lead me to Chains Gate."

"We should check for information and survivors first." Blake stated Ruby and Jaune nodded. As the group spread out the stranger spoke. "My name is Wolfram by the way, and you Probably shouldn't search for survivors." The group, primarily Blake glared at him.

Several minutes passed by as the group searched for any info on the White Fang's force positioning. "Theres nothing here, only the soldiers and supplies but no actual papers or scrolls…" Ruby trailed off as she observed Wolfram as he walked among the corpses, straightening them out and lining them up.

The group gathered in the center of the room. "What should we do with him?" Pyrrha looked to the rest of the group the question hung in the air for a few seconds. "Well for starters you could have called us about a wandering Vampire." The group and Wolfram froze upon hearing the voice of [a slightly peeved] Ashford Belladonna.

"Uh sorry sir!, We just had to check for survivors and info of the Fangs movements." Ashford nodded before turning to Wolfram who smiled at him. "Ah, the Arch Baron of Chains Gate!, I was wondering when I would meet you." Ashford nodded, "The pleasure is mine Mr…"

"Weber, Wolfram Weber, At your service." Ashford nodded before gesturing for him to follow he turned to the hunters in training. "Team RWBY go to Chains Gate later tonight, Grimoire wants to ask you some questions, and before you ask I have no clue what he wants, he did tell me to notify you that you should probably bring your weapons." With that eerie warning Ashford and Wolfram vanished into a cloud of ash.

 **Ozpin's office**

"So you're going to go down tonight?, I'll have Glynda keep the door unlocked for you." Team RWBY stood in Ozpin's office for the debriefing on the mission. "Now about this new Vampire, I have not gotten the chance to search or ask about other groups that move around so if possible learn about him and others like him." The four girls nodded before making their way out of the office and back to their dorm room.

"I don't trust him." Ruby turned to Blake as they walked. "I don't trust him either but it seems that your dad and Grimoire do, at least slightly." Blake nodded as they entered their dorm room. Blake jumped up to Yang's bed almost immediately to avoid Zwei whom was now running around the room a mile a minute. Weiss [being Wiess] sat in a chair and began petting Zwei as Ruby and Yang sat down.

Ruby picked up a large tome outlining the history of the vampiric race since before the war to now. Yang jumped up to sit next to her as Ruby turned to the first page. "Hey Rubes this guy looks a bit like uncle Qrow, who is he again?" Ruby thought for a minute. "King Thorn of the Rosewood, the first vampire of the second generation." Blake sat on the other side of Ruby and began reading the page. "Born 30 years prior to the war, black and red hair, one foot shorter than Grimoire, wielded a double ended war scythe, was an officer of the guard in the independant town of Rosewood, later became the vampyric king and fought all four kingdoms, destroying hundreds of towns and villages and killing thousands, prior to the birth of his mortal child and in the process allying the Vampires to the kingdoms and defeating the Grimm in the final battle, died at the hands of... Alexander Arc, first knight of Dorme in the final attempt to kill the 'Arch Grimm'." The group continued reading through the tome until night fell.

 **Chains Gate**

The four girls of team Rwby procceded down the steps until they entered Chains Gate where they were greeted by the guard who allowed them access. As the four walked into the cavern they saw that some things had changed. Primarily their was a larger quantity of armed guards near the gate. One of said guards approached them. "Team Rwby?, Baron Krieg would like to see you all regarding Grimoire." He gestured for them to keep going as a group of seven Chains Gate soldiers armoured in plates and chain mail of steel, passed them two of them carrying a stretcher with another of their number on it. He was torn up, his throat had been opened ear to ear, one of his eyes was gone replaced with a puddle of blood and bits of his now gone eye.

The unsettling part is he was smiling at a joke one of his carriers told him and his body shook spilling blood onto the floor and stretcher as they passed.

One soldier stopped in front of them briefly bowing. "Good evening ladies, apologies, Flavius here tends to get cut up whenever we go hunting. Also Lord Grimoire requires your presence in the war room." With that he briskly walked off with the other soldiers.

"What was that about?" Ruby shrugged as she then realized a vital detail. "Guys I have no idea where the war room is." This was met with Weiss sighing. "I dont think that will be the problem." Blake stated. Across the cavern, wearing a pink polo and jeans was Krieg, looking directly at them. Krieg waved for them to come over to where he was.

 **Chains Gate [Ashford POV]**

"Soooo Ruby and Weiss?" Ashford sighed as his leader and friend listed off the pairings that the vampires [the truly insane ones mind you] had put together. He looked over to Grimoire, "They both seem to be the two most oblivious people on the planet if they haven't figured it out yet." Grimoire nodded. "Not as oblivious as Arc is to Nikos. It seems that your daughter has found a bit of a crush in the dragon." Grimoire smirked as He sighed.

Changing Topics Ashford looked to his leader and asked a question that had been in his head awhile. "Does she look like him?" Grimoire's face immediately fell into one of a pondering sort before sighing. "She looks like his descendant alright, The height may be different but, the hair, the eyes, the way she talks to people! The only difference between them is gender." Ashford looked at Grimoire. "Are you going to tell her then?" Grimoire shook his head. "Not yet I need to teach them how to fight us first."

They both turned and walked back into the catacombs of the ancient fortress. "And how do you plan to do that?" Grimoire smiled. "Simple" He stated "I'll train them myself like how my brother taught me, with a guiding hand and an Iron fist."

 **22 Years prior to 'the war'**

 **Minor Independant town of Rosewood [Location, between Vale and Vacuo]**

A Young twelve year old Grimoire ran through the streets of Rosewood, his black hair reaching his lower back. He should have been working in his father's blacksmith shop with his father but today was special. Today was the day Grimoires brother Thorn would be promoted to a Sergeant in the garrison. He gripped the long cloth wrapped gift closer as he ran, others were moving to the armory as well to see their kin who served in the garrison be promoted.

Grimoire entered the thick crowd that had gathered around the small bastion that served as Rosewoods central militia headquarters. Squirming his way to the front Grimoire saw the three young men who were to be promoted to leaders of their respective groups.

"Farlan Evergrove!, You are prompted to the rank of captain of the north gate!" The militia commander smiled as he watched his nephew don his green officer's cloak. "Taranda Irested!, You are promoted to the position of captain of the south marches!" The young woman with eyes of amber and a pair of fox ears on her head donned her yellow cloak. "Thorn Rose!, You are prompted to captain of the central guard!" Grimoire looked to his older brother whose dark red hair was tied onto a ponytail behind his head pull the Red cloak onto his shoulders. "People of Rosewood, these are your guardians!" The three sergeants snapped their chainmail covered boots together. "Dismissed!"

The three figures moved into the crowd with Thorn towering over the others he marched right into his significantly smaller sibling. "Hello little forger, what're you doing here might I ask?" The young man leaned over and easily picked up his smaller sibling who was squirming in his arms. "Thorn!" The small figure tried to get out going as far as to reach out with several shadowy limbs to try and dislodge himself.

When the older sibling finally released his brother he noticed the large package in his younger siblings arms which dwarfed his younger brother by a foot in length. "Now what do we have here eh?" He reached for the package before his younger brother scampered off shouting for his brother to follow. Thorn smiled and easily kept up with his smaller sibling.

 **[Third person]**

 **[Training grounds]**

The large field in the center of town served two purposes, feeding the cattle and drilling the troops. "Now then little forger whats this gift you've made?" Grimoire smiled reaching under the cloth he pulled out a long staff and holding it horizontally. "Ready for my latest gift and invention?" Thorn raised a curious eyebrow as his brother flipped a small switch on the staff allowing two scythe blades to spring from either end of the staff. "May I present to you 'Fallen moon'!" Grimoire handed the weapon to his brother who swung it several times before executing a complicated series of strikes onto the nearest dummy which was hewed into quarters in seconds.

"Grimoire..." The tone in his older brothers voice worried him at first. "Yes Thorn?" Grimoire was thrown into the air with his brother hugging him and laughing. "This is the greatest thing I've seen you make, I mean how did you achieve this?" Grimoire smiled. "Elbow grease and fire." The motto of their father's blacksmith shop made the elder of the two laugh at his brothers attempted jape.

"So, you've begun forging your own little weapon now?" Thorn smiled as his younger brother nodded. "A quad hander sword I aim to call it Ragnarock." Thorn whistles 'not so little then' he thinks. "Isn't it going to be a little well... BIG for you?"

Grimoire shook his head. "I aim to make it on guess work on how tall I'll be when I join the Garrison." Thorn nodded. "I see, well we should head home it is getting dark after all." The two brothers walked away from the training yard oblivious of a cloaked courier who passed them on the street. The symbol on the cloak was that of the kingdom of Atlas the very kingdom Rosewood had broken away from.

 **Hey guys! Im sorry with how late this is! I will resolve to try and get more chapters out before the month is out! [and to fix my computer] so as always favorite and follow!**

 **P.S. I am still looking for people to throw in vampire OCs**


	7. Training day part 1

**RWBY belongs to Rooster teeth I do not own it**

To say Ruby was curious as to why Grimoire wanted to see them was an understatement. Especially since it looked like Chains Gate was at war. She was still shaken from earlier that day when team JNPR and RWBY had encountered Wolfram, a vampire who slaughtered a group of White Fang soldiers without even flinching. She was brought out of her thoughts by Krieg whom was waving his hand in front of her face. "Yo little red riding hood? ya there?"

"I'm here, just droned out a bit." Krieg nodded before he stepped back and gestured for them to follow him.

As they walked team RWBY spoke among themselves. "I dont like it, they're revving up for something I can feel it." Ruby nodded Blake had a point, she was definitely seeing a lot of activity as they went further into the cavernous fortress.

They turned down into a corridor with a sign that said 'war hall' hanging by a single chain link lodged in the ceiling. "Definitely not creepy." Weiss deadpanned. Krieg snorted a laugh and turned to her. "Oh you haven't seen nothing yet!" They continued down the hall passing Vampires armed with a wide assortment of weapons from prior to the war to modern day weapons used in the militaries of the world. Ruby of course had to be held back as she tried to get to every single one of them and find out what they were. She was promptly stopped by a shadowy limb grabbing her the second before she impacted into one of the poor guards. Before anyone could react more limbs grabbed the rest of the team and they were being pulled through the hall faster than Ruby's speed before stopping abruptly and being dropped in front of a large entryway this one with the sign that said 'Training Arena' which had several bullet holes in it.

"Again totally not creepy and what?" Weiss looked to Krieg to answers only to see Yang step forward into the shadows which were quickly destroyed by the huge lights that turned on above the team as they walked forward. "Hello Grimoire?, you wanted to see us?" Ruby shouted into the large stadium which was twice the size of the training rooms in Beacon.

"Come in! Come in! We have much to do and only a day or so to do it!" The girls lept away from Grimoire whom had somehow gotten behind them. Ruby was the first to calm down first. "Uhh sir? Why did you want us down here again?" Grimoire's smile worried her then she saw what he was twirling between his fingers.

"Its simple really I'm going to show you how to fight." Weiss scowled. "We already know how to fight." Grimoire laughed as he passed them and stood in the middle of the arena holding up the long strand of blonde hair he had plucked from Yang's head. "Do you know how to fight monsters? If so come and prove it!" Ruby looked to Blake who had figured Grimoires plan a moment too late. Yang catapulted forward as Weiss used her glyphs to get behind him. "It's a trap!" Too late indeed, Grimoire dodged Yang's punch and stepped into her guard before saying in a calm voice barely loud enough to hear. "Your anger will be your greatest strength and worst downfall," He backhanded her launching her into a wall and to the shock of all gathered she was knocked out in a single blow.

Grimoire turned on his heel and was upon Weiss just as quickly whispering. "Pride and selfishness will get you nowhere your ancestors learned that at the edge of my brothers blade." He flicked her back towards Ruby and Blake. Ruby caught an unconscious Weiss while being driven back a few feet. "Come on now!" He taunted jumping from foot to foot. Ruby placed Weiss gently on the floor and looked to Blake who nodded as Ruby set Weiss down.

They rushed forward using their weapons to get around him. Blake was taken out with an outstretched shadow foot and a swift chop to the stomach. Ruby however got behind Grimoire and was about to strike when Grimoire rolled out of the way and delivered the final blow, a swift smack across the back of the head. Ruby landed on the stone, unconscious.

Grimoire looked around at the four defeated huntresses and shook his head. "This is gonna take a while…" Krieg whom had enterd shortly after the girls had entered sighed. "Ash is gonna get a kick out of this."

 **That's a rather short chapter finished! I apologize for the length there's no excuse for it. Also I value your reviews and please follow the story.**

 **P.S. There will be a full explanation on why Grimoire provoked team Rwby next chapter but until then have an excellent weekend!**


	8. Learning from an old cat

**RWBY belongs to Roosterteeth and the late Monty**

 **Also I want to amend the fact that Qrow is a Branwen not a rose I was confused on the matter but that does not mean Im going to change it .**

Ashford and Grimoire stood in a common room right outside of a set of dormitories deep in Chains Gates bowls. Ashford had a look of anger on his face his eyes leering towards Grimoire. "You call that 'gentle'?" Grimoire chuckled as Ashford paced around the room taking a seat in one of the chairs. "I never said my brother was a 'gentle teacher' but I see what your getting at."

Ashford looked at Grimoire who looked as if he had taken a brief walk instead of fighting four very dangerous huntresses. "My brother taught me 'that to advance in the manner of fighting is to bring out your flaws and crush them'." Grimoire paused for a moment looking down the hall as another group of guards passed by. "So I decided to first show them their flaws by beating them, then You and will show them how to improve." Ashford looked at the door leading to the recovery room that the four huntresses had been put into wondering if they had awoken or if they were still asleep. "Does the Headmaster know how long they will be down here?" Grimoire nodded sitting down across from Ashford. "They will stay the weekend and we will train them, the next weekend they will come down here with team JNPR as well." Ashford nodded while he scratched his beard. "I still wonder why you chose to teach team RWBY before JNPR."

Grimoire shrugged. "I still need to gather Alexander's notes he insisted I teach any of his descendants who ended up knowing about us know about all of the sword's abilities." Ashford nodded as a vampire arrived carrying two cups of coffee and two vials of formula, both took their respective glasses and vials and after dismissing the server drank in silence.

"So what will we tell them when they wake?" Grimoire looked to Ashford pondering the question. "Not _we_ but  you." Ashford stared at Grimoire before letting out an exasperated sigh. "I figured." They continued to sit and wait before Grimoire got up and walked towards the exit of the common room. "I am going to check on the Jaeger teams to see what they've found so far." Ashford nodded. "Don't burn anything to the ground." He reminded as Grimoire grinned as he exited the room.

 **In the recovery room**

"Ughhh…" Ruby opened her eyes to a dark room illuminated by a single candle. She stayed still for a minute trying to remember what had happened, they lost. She remembered now she remembered how Grimoire had completely annihilated her team in the sparring match. She turned her head from left to right seeing Weiss trying to get up she tried get up to help, only to trip on the sheets of the bed she was in and flop onto the floor with a soft 'oof' accompanying it.

Weiss jumped and then fell onto the floor alongside Ruby with a small shriek and as she laid alongside her leader she groaned. "Dunce." Weiss murmured while trying to sit up. "You alright?" Ruby asked as she got up before leaning down to help Weiss up.

"I'm fine just a little sore due to that cretin." Weiss Fumed as she and Ruby looked to the other two beds in the room seeing Yang in one and Blake in the other.

"Should we wake them up?" Weiss looked to Ruby the question still in the air. Ruby nodded walking around Weiss and Blake's beds to Yang's before leaning over and shaking her gently. "Yang? Wake up sis it's time to talk." Yang groaned as she sat up and seemed confused about what had happened to put her into so much pain before realising it.

"How bad was it?" Yang asked as Blake sat up in her own bed. Ruby shook her head, "He completely destroyed us." Yang winced at the bluntness of the statement before looking around. "Where are we?" Ruby looked around as well at the old style that the room was furnished in. "Still in Chains Gate by the looks of it." Ruby looked to Blake seeing her sitting cross legged on her bed with her hands steepled with her elbows on her knees. "Blake?"

"Do any of you remember what he said before knocking you out?" The room was silent as the three huntresses tried to remember what Grimoire had said. Weiss spoke first, "He said that pride will be my downfall." Yang followed shortly after, " My anger will be my own downfall…" The two huntresses looked to Blake and Ruby. "He really didn't say anything." Ruby murmured. The four of them were in thought not noticing the door to the room open.

"Maybe because he didn't have to." The four huntresses, startled from not noticing the door opening looked to the door to see Ashford standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. "He proved his point that if you're going to survive what Brutus is planning your going to have to think of new ways to fight foes who will most likely be more powerful than yourselves." Ashford sat down on the chair by the door and leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees and placing his hands under his chin.

"To explain why Grimoire decided to train you the way he did, the simple explanation is that he's trained nearly every baron here including me, but you all got it easy in my personal opinion." Ruby's eyebrow raised a slight amount as she adjusted how she was sitting on her bed so she could see past Weiss. "How is that he went 'easy' on us then?" Weiss sent a small glare at the Arch Baron who sat in front of them. A small smile came to Ashfords lips as he shook his head. "Did he take any of your limbs off?" This caught the four of them off guard as Weiss tried to fix her stumble. "No-" She was cut off with a dry chuckle from Ashford.

"Did he bleed you almost dry?, did he break your soul and spirit?, No He showed you your flaws without doing any of those things." Ashford smiled at the stunned silence around him as the four huntresses digested this information. Blake looked as pale as Weiss's hair as she looked at her father whom indeed in one piece but when she looked into his eyes she could tell he had not lied.

"'To fight the darkness of ourselves and grimm we must become it' That is the first thing he told me when I awoke here, he taught me that if you want to fight to protect those you love and those who are innocent, you must become the things you fight." Ashford stood stretching his arms above his head. "There is still much to teach so when you are ready step outside and I will show you in the way that the previous Arch Baron Taught me." He turned and stepped back into the common room picking up his coffee from the table just outside of the door.

Team RWBY sat in silence for a minute before being interrupted by the growling of Yang's stomach. Blake scowled at the brawler as Yang sheepishly rubbed the back her head. "Sorry about that, I guess being beaten does build up an appetite!" Ruby shook her head with a smile of her face. "Only you sis only-" Ruby's stomach chose that moment to growl just as loud as Yang's stomach. Ruby looked down at herself, "Really!? Not what I needed at that moment." Blake and Weiss shared a sideways glance before breaking into a somewhat controlled state of laughter at their partner's situation. Outside of the room Ashford smiled at hearing the joking tones of the four girls in the recovery room.

 **Hello again! I have been working on trying to catch up to where I want to be, also I am still looking for peoples opinions on the story so far and if you want to you can suggest OCs and the like along with Ideas. Thank you all for reading and I will see you next week :D!**


	9. Training day part 2

**RWBY Belongs to Rooster Teeth**

The girls sat planning for several minutes as they prepared to go back out into the massive citadel during which Ruby decided to ask Weiss a question that had been bothering her. "Weiss?" The Heiress turned to her an eyebrow raised. "Yes Ruby?" Ruby thought another moment before continuing. "Do you remember who originally ruled the Rosewood? before they rebelled?" Weiss nodded. "The tome said that it was a colony established by a member of Atlas's nobility to expand their power to Vytal." Ruby nodded going back into thought before being dragged out of it by Yang. "Come on we don't want to keep papa cat waiting do we?" The smirk that followed was aimed directly at Blake who looked on the verge of facepalming at the team's antics.

Yang stepped out first and was met with a common room that had ten chairs circled around a central table where Ashford was sitting. He looked over as the rest of the team exited the recovery room. "Coffee?" His offer was immediately taken up by Ruby and Yang while Weiss stared at her cup with a raised eyebrow before taking the plunge. Blake meanwhile stared at the cup of tea that she had picked up before taking a sip from the mug.

"So how are you going to teach us?" Ashfords soft smile grew into a slightly skewed grin. "By example. and with pen and paper of course." Yang and Ruby groaned at the prospect of mental work during their weekend, Weiss meanwhile asked her own question. "When will we be able to go back to the surface? We still need to train for the Vytal Tournament." Ashford thought for a moment. "That is in a few days isn't it?In that case we can help train you for that as well, but it is noon at the moment. " They collectively nodded thanking Ashford as he stood up from his seat and downing the rest of his coffee.

He gestured for them to follow him as they walked out of the small common room into a much larger and busier part of the fortress where dozens of vampires were loitering around, some in armor with their weapons handy others not. "Why is everyone armed like this?" Blakes question made Ashford flinch slightly. "I'll tell you when we arrive at the training arena." His short response and increase in pace left no room for argument as they proceeded through the massive room and finally out into Chains Gate proper.

The overall trip was short but showed many more armed vampires and this time some had white fang masks hanging from their belts and bandoliers. Yang looked over to Blake who had a worried look etched onto her face as she looked at all of the masks around. They finally entered the arena and Ashford turned to them a grim look in his eyes. "Have you read the edict?" The four girls blinked at him which earned a head shake. "It is a set of rules and guidelines for vampires all over remnant, one rule states that if a vampire were to rebel to a faction that means ill to the peace of remnant then that faction must be eviscerated and all members at such time must be killed or executed." The reactions from the four girls did not veary in any major way, Ruby, Weiss and Yang looked horrified but Blake's reaction was much more... sorrowful. "So you mean that not a single member of the White Fang currently are allowed to live?, Even if they did not want to align with the rebel vampire?" Ashford nodded a sorrowful look flashing across his face before it was replaced with a slightly hopeful one. "There is an exception, If the mortal governments can capture the White Fang troops WITHOUT any of our relics or any physical evidence of our existence then they will be able to live." The four girls stood there stunned before Blake smiled.

"Alright! Well first question. How does one kill a vampire?" The previous tone returned and the four began to think. "Stake to the heart?"Ashford shook his head at yang's answer. "A stake to the heart will certainly slow a vampire down but in truth it's a multistep process, First you have to cut off the Vampire's head, Second burn the body to ash and spread it at a crossroad, Third you must ensure no Vampire arrives for at least three days before you can leave otherwise there is a possibility the vampire will return. That applies to all steps by the way if you miss one step then you're as good as doomed Krieg taught me that when I thought I killed him in my first year here, by accident of course, freaking headless Krieg carrying his own head around pulling headless horsemen jokes on everyone, went to get breakfast cereal and instead I get his ginning excuse of a head." For all its worth Yang took it the best with a grossed out expression showing least on her face and the most on Weiss's given away due to the green hue that seemed to hang over her for a second.

"Second question! how many Vampiric realms are there?" Weiss raised her hand. "Yes Ms. Schnee?" Ashford asked. Weiss smiled before beginning," There are four Vampiric realms on remnant, one for each kingdom, The titles are as such, The Lord in Vale, The Lord in Vacuo, The Lord in Minstrel and the Lord of Atlas." Ashford nodded. "Correct, partially at least, did your read to the end of the tome? if no then I'll explain it, The Lordships are major titles with the Arch Barons and Barons under them, but there are vampire covens outside of the kingdoms as well as minor vampire factions in plain view. These groups are in charge maintaining surveillance on everything going on upstairs." Weiss nodded in understanding.

"Now then onto how to actually face a vampire in combat." Ashford walked into the arena and stood in front of one of the dummies hooked up to a pulley system, Team RWBY gathered around. "First off you want to cut off any maneuverability a vampire has, for example cornering them, second you will want to get at their neck it's the fastest way to incapacitate them, third try to cut off any means of movement, and last if not least try to get them to surrender." As he explained the steps the dummy moved around on the pulleys with Ashford using his cleaver as an example of what to do with each step. "Now then who wants to go first?." 

Elsewhere in Chains Gate Grimoire, Krieg and Wolfram looked to the map of Vale and the countless charts of visitors coming into the kingdom for the tournament. "If they are going to strike at us then they will strike us while the festival is happening." Grimoire nodded at the Baron of War's assumption. "That is likely, I do not like the silence the Fang has been having over the last few days, it worries me." Wolfram nodded. "I found documents on experiments in creating vampires, it seems that Brutus is making an army of his own for this war." Krieg looked to his Lord who had a distant look in his eye. "The good thing is that they only have half the power of a normal vampire, which still means they can fight the huntsmen on a somewhat even scale."

The three looked to the map which had been covered in pegs of varying colors marking locations of the four kingdoms huntsmen or military forces and positions the fang were believed to be in. "I must call a council of lords, we must stop this before it spreads." Grimoire turned and walked out of the room back towards his office. "I do not wish another war, the last one lasted hundreds of years and cost us all many lives." He stepped past a window which showed the arena on the other side. Grimoire looked into the window seeing the four members of Team RWBY hacking away at four impossibly fast dummies though they were landing the occasional blow. He smiled as he walked away from the window. "Lets hope that we are at least ready for this war."

 **Sorry for the delay! I've been bogged down with school and the like for the last week so I'm going to try and get more chapters out, also ElfCollaborator has inspired me to write a bit of a antic filled version of this story [or maybe just a bunch of different stuff with antics] so yep as always I've been your host, have a pleasant weekend, Please review and follow! off to play some World of Warships!**


	10. New Arrivals

**Rwby belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum**

Grimoire watched as team RWBY left Chains Gate having learned enough to protect themselves as best they can against any vampires that would seek to attack them. He sensed Ashfords presence as the Cat Faunus returned to his side. "The Atlesians will be here by weeks end sir, the Vacuans and Minstrelians will take longer i'm afraid." Grimoire nodded, "It will do, how many do they bring?" Ashfords response was quick, "Atlas brings 50 of their Strike troops along with 20 wanderers, Vacuo and Minstrel have gathered roughly 100 Regular troops and over 70 wanderers." Grimoire nodded in approval. "And we have all 500 of our full time soldiers and 1500 militia ready to be raised with our one warship, what of the Wild Barons? Have they responded?"

Ashford nodded, "They have sent a combined 90 Veteran Soldiers and 50 Wanderers, They have also dispatched a heavy bullhead." Grimoire smiled, "Have them land it in one of our warehouses." Ashford nodded flipping out his scroll to send the instructions to the Baron's pilots.

"Grimoire, Lady Althea Macht is coming with her Huntmaster, she stated multiple times that she misses you very much, which leads me to ask what your relationship with her is." Grimoire smiled at hearing that Althea had called. "Well you can't a young man turned vampire to not have relationships no?" Ashford stared at Grimoire for a moment. "You mean to tell me that you have a girlfriend and you haven't told me?" Grimoire smiled. "Surprise?" Ashford stared at Grimoire before running towards the edge of the platform they stood on launching himself at one of the hanging chains, grabbing it, flipping back towards the platform, raising his hand up at the same time as Grimoires and giving him what they would later call 'the sickest high five in Chains Gate' which everyone would try to beat including any Huntsmen/Huntresses who would visit and any trainee hunters.

The two then after finishing on talking about the subject turned matters towards current military movements within Vale itself. "The number of White Fang fighters in Vale is currently 5000 and slowly rising with reinforcements from outside of the Kingdom, We have yet to find whoever was in charge of Torchwick and we know Brutus has roughly 100 White Fang Vampires with him if estimates are correct." Grimoire scowled, "If we attack now then we will be risking breaking teh edict, we will have to wait for them to strike first..."

"Which means," Grimoire nodded "Yes, the tournament, they will likely strike then, Get a group of our best troops, tell them to prepare for possible combat during the tournament."Ashford nodded striding off towards the barracks. "Also call a meeting of my council! I want to be as prepared as possible."

Meanwhile in a dorm room at Beacon. "I said you didn't kill her!" Cinder growled at the scroll and the man with short straight blonde hair on the other side. "I put Nightengale into her system!, If she survived that means that a vampire of Chains Gate found her before it could kill her, Which in turn means that Lord Grimoire and Ozpin are in contact with one another, probably." Cinder clenched her fist thinking rapidly, "How could they have stopped the poison then?" Brutus looked nervous now. "They made her a Vampire, it's the only way someone can survive nightingale." Several moments passed before Cinder sighed, "Let's just hope they do not discover our presence here for it would lead to our plans failure if they find us." She turned off her scroll ending the call as well before looking around her empty dorm as she had sent Mercury and Emerald to scout the young huntress. "Brutus you better hope that immortality is good because we are risking a lot for it." With that she went back to work with organising her scheme against the kingdoms this time taking into account the new threat to her plans which was nearby.

An Atlesian airship flew through the sky of Remnant speeding towards Vale at its best speed to avoid the aerial Grimm. This ship was one member of a small transport fleet headed to Vale for the Vytal festival where some if not all of the ship's living cargo will be going to celebrate. On one of the observation decks a Short Woman stood in a Three piece Black suit with a White crown sewn onto the back. "Lady Althea we are nearing Vale shall we notify Lord Grimoire?" The woman turned her Hazel eyes scanning her huntmaster before she nodded her shoulder length Brown hair bouncing slightly with the motion. "Thank you Jagd, tell him that we are arriving ahead of schedule also try to get into contact with the local Barons, I haven't heard from those kids since I left to manage Atlas's Vampiric population." The Huntmaster bowed to his Lady, leaving to her ponderings as he left to send the communication. "I wonder what those two thick headed fools are up to?" The Lady of Stones Grove wondered as her thoughts went to the Lords in Vacuo and Minstrel.

She remembered them both, The lord in Vacuo, Dao, a kind hearted if childish faunus, the Badger faunus had originally been a thief in one of Vacuo's many desert towns before joining Thorn and Grimoires company on their path to vengeance, mainly so he could become a master thief which became easier after he became a vampire with the rest of them.

Her thoughts shifted over to Minstrel and Lord Eidos Thymo, a kindhearted man who had offered them lodging for the night after they had gotten lost in the mass of islands around the main Minstrel continent. He later came to join them during an Atlesian raid on Minstrel which had resulted in forces of both factions burning and pillaging the countryside where Eidos lived. He is the only Lord that Althea knows of that became a Vampire after the first turning. 'Good times…' She thought as she heard the flap of wings approaching she looked up to the small nevermore like bird that flew about the small observation deck.

She lifted her arm to allow the bird of prey to land on it, after which she placed a hood with eye slots for her precious creature to see out of before turning and walking in a similar direction to Jagd had went. "I believe we should be wondering what has got the Lord of Chains Gate so riled up,I mean it's been years since he lost the trail on that possible descendant and i'm pretty sure he's still looking for at least a little bit of closure on the subject of his Brothers descendants."

 **VOLUME 3 IS TOMORROW HOLY CRAP! Allow me to elaborate, due to this story slowly, [but steadily] gaining views and the like but that's beside the point. I am going to write the shenanigans of this story at a later time [IE after the first episode of V3] But otherwise I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next time!**

 **-LostPrimarchs**


	11. The begining of the Tournament

**SEASON THREE IS HERE OH GOD YES!**

 **Rwby belongs to Rooster teeth and Monty Oum**

 **Outside of Beacon**

Team Rwby strolled towards Beacons airship docks ready to go to the tournament and fight for Vale, Ruby however had a slight epiphany. "Guys? I just realized something, what about my new powers?" To say that the four were panicking was a slight understatement. "HEY!" The four who now were jumping away from every noise louder than normal leapt from the figure that approached them. "I am now assuming you're worrying on how to hide your powers, the answer is light of the sun." The massive man moved his hands in circles cryptically as he spoke adding a slight crazy vibe to it. "Dad?" Blake asked taking a closer look at the hood and capped figure. "BINGO!" The cat faunus pulled the hood down allowing the sunlight to wash over his capped head continuing in a slightly hushed voice . "So I'm going to say this now, Vampires powers are unfortunately eliminated while the vampire is in sunlight, but! if that vampire needs to use their powers they only need to go into the shadows." The four blinked as one suprised at how the Arch Baron had easily concealed and explained the situation of Ruby's powers.

"Soooooooo Ashy what are you doing here?" Yang nickname for Ashford earned a snicker from him. "Oh we usually come up in larger numbers to do business and watch the tournament," his eyes darkened within seconds after that, "But this year Grimoire thinks Brutus might try something with his ally's, so myself and several dozen elite troops have been dispatched to guard the festival and tournament." The four nodded, it made sense with Brutus and a bunch of White Fang Vampires running about. "You should probably go to your match, wouldn't want you to be late because of me." The cat faunus smiled as he walked into the crowd towering like a monolith above many shorter people before disappearing around a stall.

Meanwhile Grimoire was at the airship docks with a cloak and hooded Tuckson waiting for a certain Atlesian airship to arrive. "So are we going to tell Ironwood about us or no?" Grimoire turned to the Librarian, he had known Tuckson to be a very subtle man but with that question Grimoire began to think otherwise. "I believe we must ask the other Lords and Independant Barons first, if they approve we will tell Ironwood of our existence, hopefully before the bullets start flying." Tuckson nodded taking out a piece of gum to chew as the ship landed.

Tuckson for his part tried to not choke from laughing at his lord as the Lord in Vale was strangled in a hug from Lady Althea. "Mercy.." Grimoire managed to choke out as he finally got a breath of air. This action did manage to get him released long enough for him to introduce the Librarian to the Lady of the Northern lands before moving on to more pressing matters. "Should we tell General Ironwood of our existence?, hm well he seems to be a little gung-ho but if we explain everything to him he should keep things quiet until after the initial public engagements." Tuckson looked from the grinning woman in front of him to his equally grinning lord. "I told you she's good at these things." Tuckson sighed shaking his head before turning back to Lady Althea. "So do you have the wanderers? or did the ones in Atlas take a different ship?"

"Yeah, they've started following Rusty around calling him 'Boss' and 'Chief', they are still gathering some stuff." Tuckson nodded and Grimoire smiled. "It's good to hear that Rusty is still leading his little band, weather he like it or not." A chorus of voices were heard exiting the airship and a crowd of raggedly dressed peoples in rust colored armour led by a short rust haired, red eyed man who had a massive rusted looking iron stake hanging from his back. "I wonder how he and Wolfram will get along this time. Tucksons question was answered as Wolfrom seemingly coming out of nowhere ran right into Rusty causing a pileup of agitated Vampyres who were growling and grumbling for people to "Get your hand away from that!" and "Not the Grenades!" Before several spherical objects were thrown from the pile over the edge of the cliff to harmlessly explode down the cliffside. The pile of bodies however was still struggling to untangle themselves from the human/faunus knot.

Grimoire shook his head as he walked towards the knot. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen! How are all of you?" The bickering mass stopped for a moment to respond politely or not as politely. Rusty from deep in the pile decided to make his voice heard. "Grimoire? M'Lord? Can you kindly get us out of this pile? I would be ever so thankful." Grimoire chuckled as his semblance produced multiple arms of varying lengths and thicknesses that after forming reached into the pile and slowly untangling the pile of bodies.

In the distance team JNPR watched the interaction with perplexed expressions. "Are those?" Jaune began before Pyrrha nodded. "That woman looks to be from Atlas, perhaps she is in charge of the Vampires there." Team JNPR watched as the group of Vampires slowly dispersed into a form of circle as they moved towards the fairgrounds."We will probably see them the next time we go down to Chains Gate." Ren stated calmly as they walked towards the Fairgrounds as well.

20 Years before the war

The screams of people was the first thing Grimoire heard as he awoke. He smelled smoke and Dust, Heard the sound of cannon and the song of steel battling in the streets. He was up in an instant quickly putting on his tunic and leather armor with chainmail between them and after strapping his blade Ragnarok to his back and sheathing his short sword to his hip he placed an iron Salade over his skull. He ran down the stairs of he and his Brothers house and gathered an empty pack and stuffed it with two sets of clothes and enough food to last awhile before he ran out into the streets which had been consumed by soldiers both from Rosewood and cloaked figures battling it out with no holds barred. The bodies lay strewn about the street with most of them being from the attacking groups side. Grimoire began running towards the guard station Thorn had been posted at hoping beyond hope that he would still be there.

He passed the central square filled with fighting soldiers. He watched as a Rosewood guard was brought down by a war pick to the neck and an axe to the leg. He shook his head and continued running towards the Central Citadel of the City. He rounded the last corner and came onto the main street of the city which was surprisingly less populated than the other streets and citadel sat before him, a squat fortress with walls higher than the buildings around it and towers barely taller than that with the tallest being reserved for the King of Rosewood, Which Rosewood did not have, or any Royal family for that matter the city and surrounding land had been run by the nobles and military since the Late king's death roughly three years ago, died without any family, poor man.

Shaking his head out of his thoughts he ran towards the Citadel waving his arms and shouting for help. His words were answered when the gates opened and out of them rode a company of cavalrymen galloping as fast as it looked possible. Grimoire ran to the side to let them pass only to be grabbed and thrown onto the back of one of the horses. He looked up to argue with the rider only to see Thorn looking down at him with a serious look in his eyes. "They opened the gates, troops from the Kingdom of Atlas are pouring in, we have been ordered to retreat to the wilderness and hold out for as long as possible,the least we can do is make the Atlesian army suffer in the long run." They rode in silence, gathering others who wanted to leave as well until they had two full companies of horsemen and roughly thirty civilians to make up the families of the soldiers. As they left Grimoire looked back from atop the horse he had been given to watch the city he grew up in burn as he left it with those who chose to resist to find a new home, and hopefully have vengeance.

 **So yeah I'm late but as I said in the intro IT'S HERE! YEEES! I have quite a bit planned out already but I want to see what the show does since I want to we'll see how it plays out. Also in other news I have been working on another story. Yep another one and this one isn't even finished. I do have hopes for more people to read this eventually so until next time Peace out**

 **-ThelostPrimarches**


	12. A dusty Old Qrow

**RWBY is property of Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum**

Ashford stood in the back of the crowd watching his daughter and her teammates fighting their first opponents in the tournament, Team AUBR a good team in his opinion. That didn't help them against team RWBY as he watched as they were beaten by one out and three aura depletions. Ashford turned to walk out of the stands a smile on his face. He checked his scroll looking through the daily reports from Chains Gate, and with all of the incoming Vampires arriving some of the unoccupied floors were being inhabited and run by the newcomers. He frowned as a call came through from the tech department, which he had expanded after gaining permission from a cautious Grimoire who disliked much of the new technology claiming 'Grimcraft! it has to be Grimcraft!' as he cowered in a crevice he had fled to after his computer began to crash. Ashford frowned the small smile growing on his face vanished replaced with a curious eyebrow raising. Then with all speed he walked to the airship dock to get a ride to the festival grounds.

Krieg growled as he sat in the tech department hall. The sound of all the computers running made an infinet hum that soothed most people with the exception of Krieg. What he was reading was only confirming his and his leader's worst 'Black Queen' character that had caused so much damage already was within Beacon and what's worse is another piece of news of vampires numbers growing within the White Fang. Shaking his head he turned his attention to other matters within Chains Gate, Like the weapons foundry! Said weapons foundry was pumping out better weapon pieces for wanderers whose equipment has not been fixed in a while and also restocking ammo as much as possible. He clicked his tongue at the current number of armed and trained troops he had. Numerically the Fang had them three to one, training wise they had better quality troops and equipment. He sighed turning back to his other work with the guards.

Grimoire had dropped off the Vampires from Mantle at the nearest entrance to chains gate and was now wandering around the drop off zone looking for stragglers until he heard a familiar voice shout. "WINTER!" 'Weiss sure seems happy about whoever this Winter chick is.' the vampire thought as he decided to wander on by. As he did so he heard Winter berating her sister for missing three strikes. Grimoire huffed 'bet you can't put your money where your mouth is.' He thought watching the two sisters walk off leaving Ruby to sigh in defeat. Grimoire decided to follow the pair and their guards from afar before being overtaken by an intoxicated man who wore a torn cape and had a sword strapped to the small of his back. The man with a quickness that was normal for a vampire but extraordinary for a huntsmen disabled the two bots by tearing one's head off and severing the others servos. Weiss turned to berate the drunkard but he merely brushed her aside and began speaking to Winter, Grimoire could not here but he felt bad for the man when Winter drew her blade on him and they began their dual.

Grimoire watched with an amused smile growing on his lips as he walked around the circle of spectators. He then noted with great joy that Winter had already missed more times than her sister had. He saw Ruby and Weiss watching the fight and walked up behind them. "You missed three times, She has so far missed six, she should hold her tongue in regards to accuracy from now on." The two surprised Huntresses in training turned to him Weiss looking as though she would respond before they returned their gazes to the fight which had taken a striking turn with the drunkard sheathing his weapon and gesturing for Winter to strike. Grimoire's eyes narrowed 'now what's your game?' He looked for an answer and saw one in an approaching General Ironwood who looked enraged. Just before Winters blade could slit the man's throat Ironwood roared for her to stand down and after a brief explanation that she had struck first Ruby sprinted forward and latched onto the man's arm. "Uncle Qrow!" 'Ah so that's her Uncle eh? Guess I should tell him if there's a meeting soon, or in private.'

He watched as the two partakers in the fight left with Ozpin, Ironwood, and Goodwitch and quickly walked over to an isolated area with shadows after bidding farewell to Ruby and Weiss. He then used his powers to travel from that patch of shadows into the clockwork of Ozpin's tower that hung above his office. He lounged in the rafters as the five mortals below him bickered with one another. "He was drunk!" Winter shouted. "He's always drunk!" Glynda responded. Grimoire rolled his eyes. "And I thought the Schnee's were better than what you showed." He stated loud enough for those under him to notice. Ozpin as usual was first to respond. "Hello Lord Grimoire, might I ask why you're in the clockwork?" Grimoire chuckled while dropping down from the machine his landing causing the floor to shake slightly. "I am here to introduce myself to general Ironwood seeing as his forces have possibly ruined any chance of my troops and I finding and dealing with the traitor from Chains Gate." Grimoire looked at the three new faces stopping at Winter and frowning deeply. "Your sister speaks highly of you, so far my first impression does not meet the standard that I expected." Winter looked as though she was going to respond but Ironwood cut her off. "And what is your forces called, and what is this Chains Gate?"

Grimoire chuckled. "Boy I am far beyond Human, that is what I once was but now a days people like you would call me a Vampyre. Now before you call your troops I want to make it clear that My fellows and I's goal in this world is to protect the kingdom's from starting another war. Something that has become rather hard since your fleet showed up and hampered the arrival of the other Lords, except for the Lady of Atlas she got here with only a little bit of trouble."

Winter looked as though she was going to launch into starting another fight, if she hadn't been interrupted by General Ironwood. "Schnee we will discuss this on the ship." She tried to respond but he cut her off giving her no option. She left after sending a glare towards Qrow and the doors of the Elevator closing. "Can we trust him and his 'friends'?" Qrow stated looking back to the table then at Grimoire. Ozpin responded "Without Grimoire we would be down one of our best first year Team leaders and possibly more." Qrow and Ironwood looked to Grimoire then Ozpin. "Who was it then?"

"Ruby Rose." Qrow's eyes widened staring at the Vampyre whose eyes had turned from their steely grey to blood red in seconds. "I will explain it to you after this but to put it simply without Grimoires intervention Miss Rose would have been buried by now." Qrow nodded shooting a glare at Grimoire and then returning to his exclamation. "The Black Queen is here, They are the one that broke into the CTT tower as well as instigating the Breach and putting Autumn in her condition." Grimoire listened to Qrow and Ironwood go back and forward until Ironwood stated that the people of Vale would feel safe with a fleet above their heads. Qrow gave a low laugh but immediately stopped when he heard Grimoire cackling. "For one they probably wouldn't fear your ships in the first place but now that they have Vampyres even though they are weaker versions they will definitely not fear you, They will be overjoyed that you brought so many meatbags to be sucked dry and thrown aside for them to feast on." Qrow shook his head. "I saw no Vampyres or Vampyre esque creatures out there but she has made and they are fear."

"And fear will bring the Grimm." stated Ozpin with Grimoire shouting 'food!' both as excitedly and quietly as he could to the surprise of Qrow and Ironwood. "A guardian is a symbol of comfort and an Army of Conflict. There is now a question at the back of everyone's minds, 'if this is what we have for defences then what are we expecting to fight?'" Ironwood looked around the room and with a sigh grabbed his scroll from Ozpin's desk a Black queen flashing on it which Grimoire saw. "Than what do you expect we do?"

"I suggest we find our Guardian." Ironwood nodded and left to go talk to Winter but just before he entered the elevator someone tapped his shoulder, it was Grimoire. "I would ask you to teach Winter how to be humbled by peoples who are not her superiors, for it may be possible that she will meet a stronger foe and not know when to lower her banner." Ironwood thought on that for a moment before turning to face Grimoire and Bowing much to his and the other occupants of the rooms surprise. General Ironwood entered the elevator and went to find Winter and talk to her regarding her fight with Qrow.

"Now then, Ruby." Grimoire stated. "What happened?" Qrow asked the worry and furry in his eyes burned with a need to find and end the damn bastard who dared to harm his niece. "Brutus, he was one of my investigators who was trying to find out the Fangs Plans, instead he was turned to their side, likely by the Black Queen herself. His first mission as we have deduced was to make an example of Ruby likely to break morale of our forces. She was poisoned with an old poison called nightingale which causes uncontrollable bleeding, aura fluctuations and organ failure." Qrow's eyebrow rose slightly "Then how did she survive?" Grimoire looked him in the eye. "Don't be mad, but when Ozpin and I stumbled across her she was already in an early stage of the poison so the only way to keep her alive without suffering was to well… make her a Vampyre." The room was silent for a minute with Qrow's eyes twitching slightly before he closed them and sighed. "Did you tell her father yet?" Ozpin and Grimoire cringed and Glynda smacked her face. "He's going to kill you both." The two moaned. "We know…" Qrow chuckled while shaking his head as Grimoire got a determined look in his eye. "I have a question for you Qrow." Qrow looked at Grimoire and noticing his aura fluctuating Glynda and Ozpin left the room to leave the conversation between the two. "About what?" Qrow asked his laid back expression slowly leaving. "It's a question about the last lead that I got on my Older brother, the former king of my peoples descendants, It's a question on my last lead which was a name. The name was Summer and from what I know she was your teammate and Ruby's mother."

 **Lets drop that cliffhanger right there so that I can have some fun with that later. Like always Review your opinion on this story and how it's been so far. Have a great rest of your weekends.**

 **\- LostPrimarches**

 **P.S. I was thinking on some new story Ideas should I pursue them or no?**


	13. A trifectum of events

**RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum**

General Ironwood sat in his quarters on his flagship mulling over the new faction involved in this grand game of possible doom. He sighed in remembering the glare the Lord of Chains Gate had thrown at him upon exiting the room. "Don't be too offended by Grimoire he can be quite aggressive when making a first impression." Ironwood was stunned, who was this man why was he in his quarters and how did he know about Grimoire, the pieces soon fell into place. "Your a vampyre?" It was more a statement then a question but the tone was still there. The massive faunus before him nodded. "Yes I am, to be precise I am Ashford Belladona, the Arch-Baron of Chains Gate or in more military terms I am Grimoires second in command." The general nodded. "I see, so if you wouldn't mind can you tell me why you're here?"

"I don't mind and as for the reason I am here, that is related to the fact that your forces have hampered the movement of our own forces. The only host of vampyres to reach us since the call went out earlier this week have been those from Atlas since well only the Atlesian ships are getting through with speed." Ironwood cringed at the hidden jab at his forces favoring the Atlesian civilians over others. "I understand, but you must also understand with the White Fang's movements and the Black Queen having Vampyres under her control you have to understand that I cannot simply let them stream in." Ashford groaned as he shook his head. "Well there is a possibility then that if the enemy acts soon they will be able to outnumber us in vampyres albeit they may be weak but they are still Vampyres and can cleave through your forces in scant hours, so for the sake of your troops and the Huntsmen and Huntresses in Beacon and Vale please open the gates or else there will be a great number of deaths possibly larger than the last time a battle of such magnitude took place in Vale." The General sat there thinking for a minute before he came to a conclusion. "If you send a group of Vampyres to identify the ship's your reinforcements are coming on then we can let them through although I also want to have the ability to communicate with the Lords." Ashford smiled and nodded. "I can agree to that and I will take the proposal to Lord Grimoire, also technically it's three Lords and the Lady of Atlas." Ironwood nodded as he leaned back into his chair while turning back to his work. "And General? A brief word of warning, The reason the Vampyres were made and formed into such a power on this world is due to Atlas and Mantle's mistakes prior to the war." With that Ashford vanished into a wall of smoke which vanished shortly after leaving a confused General behind.

Grimoire sat in a chair within RWBY dorm watching as an epic battle of power and skill took place before him. "YOU'LL NEVER BEAT ME OLD MAN!" Grimoire watched the antics as Ruby and Qrow clashed again in the game that still perplexed the Vampyre with its colors and how the two Assassins on the screen moved. He chuckled internally as Qrow immediately beat Ruby who was shortly after launched from her sitting position by Yang. "Now where was I?" Qrow thought allowed. "You were telling us about your last mission!" Ruby stated obviously excited at the thought of hearing about the adventures of her uncle. "Right right, I'd come across a small village in the swamps of Minstrel and right off the bat I knew something wasn't right." Qrow began. "What were you doing there" Ruby asked. "I needed information tired after battling grimm along the way I started at the local inn, the place was crawling with lowlifes and thugs and even a few huntsmen I could only assume had been hired by less than reputable people for less than respectable jobs, and that's when it happened," Yang interrupted "What happened?" Qrow looked down, "I was defeated, by the mere sight, of the Innkeepers skirt length!" Yang threw a pillow at her uncle who easily caught it as he beat her in the game.

"You are the WORST!" Yang's exclamation was followed by the snickers of Qrow and Ruby but drowned out by the guffaws coming from Grimoire. Qrow looked back at the lord of Vampyres as he fell out of his chair only to land on a couch of shadows. "So uncle Qrow did ya get in trouble with Ozpin?" Ruby's questioned. "Nah, me and Oz go way back, we're cool." Qrow explained. "Heh cool for an old guy." Yang stated as Qrow leaned forward. "Not funny." He replied as Grimoire shot a glare at Yang from the chair he had returned to. "Hey so what are you doing here anyways? I thought dad said you would be gone for like ever?" Qrow turned his attention to the second round of the game as he answered. Grimoire however thought back to when he and Qrow exited the headmaster's office as Qrow began his explanation.

Qrow and Grimoire stood before the elevator while finishing their conversation. "So you want to find the public records and get into them so you can confirm your theory?" Grimoire nodded. "Her aura posses much of the same attributes of my brother, the only difference is her semblance which does remind me of my brothers wife, all I need to do is to confirm the last of it and then its her choice." Qrow nodded. "And what choice is that?" Grimoire looked over to him as the door opened. "The vampyres have been without a common leader for decades due to Thorns edict and last orders which still hold true until his descendant is found, the Vampyres had a King who lead them and Lords who followed his command, we have been without a monarch for over a hundred years and with this discovery many in Chains Gate and those others who have arrived have been calling for the new monarch to take over but have calmed with myself and Ozpin pointing out her still being a student." Qrow stared at Grimoire for several seconds as he pressed the button to the ground floor. "You think my niece is the heir to the Vampyres?" Grimoire nodded. "She may be young but from what I remember both my parents and his friends telling me Thorn behaved much the same as Ruby when he was her age." Qrow nodded. "I see, so have you told them yet?" Qrow asked. "No." The simple answer rung for a second as the doors opened showing both Ruby and Yang waiting in the hall. "Uncle Qrow! and Grimoire?" Yang and Ruby were surprised as the two stepped out of the elevator.

"Violence hasn't stopped since Romans capture, It stopped! Completely!, No White Fang activity anywhere around the city!" Grimoire groaned from his position. "Which has made finding that bugger Brutus and them that much harder even with our forces exterminating several hideouts on the outskirts of Vale." Qrow nodded. "You cut off the head of a King Taijutsu and now the other head is calling the shots something Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his." The two huntresses looked at each other. "You know the General?" Qrow nodded. "Hey I know everyone to some extent,remember you're talking to a member of the coolest team to have graduated Beacon." He pulled out a photo that had stains of a cup and droplets, Qrow looked back at Grimoire at this moment to see the Vampyre twitching slightly and murmuring to himself. "I have a number of inappropriate stories that I can tell you." He stopped when he saw Yang staring at the photo as he put it away. "But maybe some other time." he stated as he got up and made his way to the door. "I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids, it'll cramp my style, Look just remember that you've got a long way to go, don't think for a second means your done every day out there is worth a week in this place." He looked back at them. "You two you're going to go far but only if you keep learning, if you never stop moving forward." Shortly after that he left. The two Huntresses then noticed Grimoire had vanished to with the only evidence of being there was the fading shadows.

Tucson growled as he followed a pair of teen through the festival grounds and began approaching them before tapping their shoulders. "What do you wan-" Tucson grinned at Mercury as the mercenary shook in his boots Emerald looked just as afraid. "Hello you two! Good to see you again after you tried to kill me." The two of them made to run until Tucson grabbed their shoulders and they felt a great force pulsing through their minds as they fell down. "I see, well you better hope your boss is merciful." He stood up and called for help shouting that they had fallen suddenly from exhaustion to the Atlesian Knights who came by to retrieve them. Tucson watched as the medics picked the two up and go off to Beacons Medbay as he turned with a grim smile on his face. 'Cinder Fall eh? Well you better be ready you bitch You just lost two bishops and your next.'

 **I LIIIIIVE!**

 **I apologise for my lack of activity as of late and I hope once the break starts for christmas that I will be able to compensate. But until then I hope you are all content with small chapters.**

 **Until next time-TheLostPrimarchs**

 **P.S. I now also have an Archive of our own account so YAY!**


	14. Cinders plans meet Tucsons grudge!

**RWBY belongs to Rooster teeth and Monty Oum**

Tucson smiled as he watched Mercury and Yang's fight. He had to admit Cinders plan was brilliant, frame the temperamental girl of attacking a defenceless opponent. He had heard it all easily especially since he knew their systems from being in the Fang. That of course meant he was going to screw with Cinders plans for her teammates assault on him and his store. He grinned as the actual footage played of Mercury attacking Yang after the fight was over and how Emerald and Cinders faces were shocked as guards surrounded the wounded mercenary and arrested HIM not Xiao Long but the damn boot sniffing bastard who had ruined his day those few weeks ago. He of course had told Grimoire first as he had to go and join Ozpin and the others while talking to Phyrra about the whole maidens deal.

He frowned he had met so many of the legendary women and how each and every one of them had fallen whether at the hands of a tyrant or to old age they all inspired him to preserve the legends. He looked at Cinder as the woman seethed at the guards to release the silver haired boy and growled, SHE had been the culprit and Grimoire had promised her head to him should she actually be the one who caused the recent stir in Vale and the Vampiric underworld. He sighed and went to complete the next part of his task, retrieving teams RWBY and the rest of JNPR to explain to them Emerald and Mercurys true intentions.

Regarding the one on one system hack issue Tucson and some of the guys in the small tech division of Chains Gate had noted it and then tracked the signal to Cinders scroll and devised their plan with Lord Grimoire and Lady Althea's approval. He grinned as he thought of the kids leg breaking again before sighing and continuing his mission. He saw the the RWB of team RWBY waiting with JNPR for Yang to exit the arena and he whistled a tune used by the Fang in its more peaceful days to grab Blake's attention. She saw him and he gestured for them to go to the Chains Gate as soon as possible. Tucson decided to vanish after that since his mission was complete and he was no longer needed and returned to observing Cinder and her team's issues with the Salesians which he laughed at quietly.

 **I know it's short but I've been busy working on a whole load of stories and Midterms are coming so with this little message I will see you all another day.**


	15. So the end begins

**OK I think I should have waited for the new episode but other then that forward as planned.**

Cinder had finally gotten Mercury back and had placed him in a key location so that the final match would go as planned even if her initial plan was likely going downhill. "Brutus, Grimoire's little pet Tuckson has intervened, I saw him myself grinning like an idiot up in the stands." A grunt from the other end was the only response. "Can you do anything about him? We've already failed to kill him once and-" A maniacal chuckle filled her ear. "It won't matter once the final battle begins no one can stop it your plan will succeed, just survive." The line cut much to Cinders disdain.

Grimoire, Ozpin and Qrow sat at a table in Ozpin's office discussing recent events. "We can't change the final match up but we can prepare for the worse, also the Grimm moving towards the city have grown in number." Teams Rwby and Jnpr entered soon after and stood before the three who were standing around Ozpin's desk. "Good afternoon ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Thunderdome! OW ASH NO!" The students watched as Ashford ran in, dropkicked Grimoire and then jumped out the window. "Well I'm gonna need a drink."

"How about you wait for your drink? We do have company after all." Ozpin nodded to the teens who had just entered the room as he took a sip of his coffee. "So why did you call us here Prof?" Yang had an idea of what they wanted to talk about but didn't voice it so she could hear what they wanted to say. "We wanted to talk to you about the activities of the team is part of, and how we're going to need you guys to be on your toes." The group seemed to freeze up slightly, especially Ruby. "In regards to the break in on the night of the dance we believe that may have perpetrated that and she may even be involved with Brutus and the Fang." To the two teams it seemed as though the roof was falling in around their heads. "We've dealt with most of their control over the CCT systems but they can still influence the final match which means that we need to keep our eyes open, also my scouts and other Vampyres who have been arriving recently have noted that an insane amount of Grimm are gathering from the wild lands around Vale, almost as if they picked up the scent of something they want."

"So in short, have your weapons prepped, Grimoire has also taken the liberty of notifying the other teams he thinks can be trusted about the Grimm buildup." The effect was immediate with the students eyes widening like saucers. "Don't worry I swore them to secrecy, granted at this rate everyones going to know that Vampyres exist, which could have a positive or negative effect on the world." The students nodded their heads as Grimoire explained the situation, then he turned to Ruby. "I have also notified them about your predicament and due to the reactions I have gotten so far it seems a few want to see the effects of Vampyrism on a person such as yourself, as well as how you have changed your fighting style slightly to accommodate the changes." Ruby was silent for a moment, this caused Yang, Qrow and Weiss to look to her all scanning to see if she was alright.

The next day was the final match, Pyrrha vs. Penny and Ruby knew what would happen if Pyrrha used her semblance so she tried to pull her aside to talk to her about it, unfortunately Mercury stopped her and she watched as Penny was torn in two.

The situation immediately became worse as the panic set in and Ruby could only stare at where her friends parts lay. She didn't notice the scream from Mercury behind her or the blood that spattered across the floor. She only came out of it when a hand rested on her shoulder. "The worse case has become reality, we need to act fast before the Grimm arrive in full force." She nodded as she got up.

A Nevermore of gargantuan size shattered the shield protecting the stadium and landed just before Phyrra lunging out to bite into her only for Ruby to launch out at it with one of penny's blades. The creature roared at her showing the gaping depth of its throat and evidence that it had eaten recently with blood soaking its beak. It squaked in pain as a shower of Lockers slammed into it pinning it to the ground said lockers opening to reveal the weapons of several teams including hers, JNPR, SSSN, NDGO, BRNZ, and ABRN along with Flint and Neon from team FNKI.

The teams quickly retrieved their weapons and prepared to go from the coliseum, only to be thrown off by the Nevermore which refused to die. The students began to pummel the creature with attacks from a range and close up, tearing the bird to shreds as the two narrators of the coliseum joined the battle finishing off the bird Grimm quickly.

The sky soon turned black with the forms of hundreds of Grimm circling the group of students only for several to fall to Professor Ports blunderbus rounds and munitions from the hunters in training. "Students I suggest you evacuate!" The students went to throw a fit only for Professor Oobleck to silence them. "You will be needed more at Beacon so I suggest you go now." The students still refused to leave, taking up positions around their teachers they prepared themselves to fight and as the first Gryphon came within five feet it was pinned to the ground by a red armored figure. Said figure tore the Grimm in half with their gauntleted hands before drawing out a sword and shield. The figure stood to their full height before moving to meet the students and teachers.

"I suggest you listen to your teachers, I'll stay and help them." Krieg smiled at the assembled crowd before using his sword to direct them out of the arena. "Go! Ironwood looks like he's having a fun time without ya." The students were stunned before leaving the arena and catching up to Ironwood who was boarding one of his ships. "General Ironwood!" The general stopped on the steps turning to see the group of students looking to him for guidance.

 **This was short and I frigging hate myself for it but I just can't recall the exact lines from the show and I just don't want to rewatch it again due to feels at the moment. Otherwise my excuse is college visits take a lot out of you.**

 **Until next time!**

 **-LP**


	16. The battle of Beacon part 1

**Welcome back! hopefully we can get on a better schedule but knowing me that's a ways off.**

Ruby watched as the airship Roman had taken was stormed, she had launched herself at it with a locker and as she approached she saw a group of White Fang members desperately trying to hold back a group of Vampyres who wore the colors of Atlas. Her landing almost got her impaled on a halberd bearers weapon but she managed to dodge, her landing was accompanied by one of the Vampyres backing up from the main line of combat to her. "Ruby Rose? I'm the commanding officer of this group, we are currently trying to recapture the ship." Ruby nodded as she watched one White Fang member who was launched from the ship into the swarm of Grimm flying past the ship be torn to shreds. "Where is Torchwick? If we get him we can easily re capture the ship." The officer shook his head. "He has locked himself on the command deck from what we have seen, his second in command however entered combat a few minutes ago." Ruby nodded as she began to piece together a plan to somehow get to Roman quickly. "I have a plan." The officer nodded. "You need any help?" Ruby shook her head. "I've got this." Ruby ran towards the edge of the ship then using Crescent Rose and her semblance she hooked onto the edge of the ship and ran along the side until she was past the fighting before she jumped back up onto the deck. She spotted a figure land across from her on the deck and recognized Wulfram. "Lead on young huntress your prey awaits us." Ruby blinked in surprise before moving forward, the reality bending vampyre's smile and racing him to the bridge of the vessel.

Ruby decided to enter through the time proven tactic of ruining people's Windows with her boots. Upon entering she realized she had caught Torchwick off guard and monopolized on it by landing in his face and knocking him into the ground and out. "Whooo! One shot one downed bad guy!" Wulfram had rushed to the controls and had quickly retaken control of the ground forces from Cinders control. "This is raider 1 we have taken the bird I repeat we have taken the bird." Radio chatter started up as Atlesian comms came back under Ironwoods control on the ground.

Roman tried to move only to realize he was tied up with thick chains, and he was at sword point, on the other end of the blade was none other than, "Hey Red! How've you been?" Ruby shrugged. "Pretty good, just took over your ship, fighting Grimm, doing Vampyre things that isn't drinking blood, can you tell your friend to surrender? I'd much rather ask you some questions." Roman rolled his eyes and was going to respond until Ruby's eyes turned red and Roman felt an immense need to obey. "Fine." Roman squirmed over to his scroll which was on the ground and managed to dial her number, after a few seconds she picked up. "Neo it's Roman, stand down, Red got us this time." The fighting outside seemed to calm down slightly as Neo entered the room, throwing her parasol down and raising her hands above her head. Ruby went to retrieve Neo's weapon only to be caught off guard by Neo striking her with the palms of her hands on either side of her head. Ruby, being dazed tried to back up only to be kicked out of the bridge by Neo who turned to retrieve her weapon and unconscious partner.

She turned and smiled at the Vampyre who lurked over her partner seemingly not caring for the situation as he took control of the Atlesian forces. "If you want him, come get him, but if you want to get him without a fight you have to make a deal with me, which would be you both not working for this 'Cinder' woman any more. Roman in his position thought about it. "So this is a get out of jail free card?" Wulfram shrugged, "You will be bound to someone who will be your handler but otherwise you will be free to cause minor chaos, we do need a thief." Roman thought for a minute, side with Cinder and condemn himself and Neo to possibly painful death or possibly become an immortal thief capable of successfully facing cinder. "I shall take the second option! Neo? Would you like to join in on this?" Neo seemed to think for a moment as she stabbed at Wolfram who didn't even dodge as Neo's blade slid by each time, seemingly bent by reality to miss. Ruby re entered the room with the victorious Vampyres from the deck to see the conflict and after seeing Wolfram shaking his head at her decided to not get involved, much to her own frustration. The Vampyres that had arrived with her went to check on the crew of the warship and to save any they found still alive.

"Hey Red guess what?" Ruby glared at Torchwick as he smiled up at her. "What is it Torchwick?" His grin stretched farther like an elastic band becoming longer and thinner. "Ive decided to betray my boss for you lot!" Ruby sat there staring at him as she tried to process what he had said before laughing. "Good joke Torchwick really I doubt you would be recruited."

Neo swung at Wolfram one final time as the Vampyre's hands twitched finally catching the elusive assassin and preventing her teleportation. The thin unseen cords gradually constricted Neo's movements with tiny almost unseen wires. "Now do you give up?" Neo attempted to struggle only to fall over next to Roman. "Well in that case until you and your compatriot have made a final decision you will be detained, Sergeant! This man is to be brought to the holding cells of Chains Gate." The armored Vampyre snapped a salute as he and his troops detained the two criminals.

"So now what?" Wolfram thought to answer when the giant flying grimm dragon outside caught his attention. He looked over to Ruby. "Want to kill a dragon?" She looked out at the beast and nodded. "We should get rid of it before it causes more damage." Wolfram went to the controls of the craft and paused. "You should go to your team, They may need you." Ruby nodded and ran outside to where one of the commandeered bullheads the Vapyres had was dispatching troops. Ruby passed by them and got onto the craft finding a handhold by the cockpit as some Vampyre's got on with her. "Where to miss?" Ruby thought for a moment. "Where are the majority of the teams right now?" Ruby had to shout as the vehicle pulled away from the battleship as it turned to face the dragon. "The cliff side entrance of Chains Gate is where people are being brought, members of your team may be there." Ruby nodded to the pilot. "Then we have our destination." The bullhead began to fly towards the cliffs of Beacon that now served as the staging point for re taking Beacon.

The ruins of Beacons cafeteria rung with the sound of blades screeching as Blake tried to fight Adam. She knew she was doomed to fail but she wanted to stop him from hurting her friends. She felt the full force of the blow as she landed on her back her body screaming at her to run as she tried to get up. "I will destroy everything you love, starting with her." Blake's eyes widened as she heard Yang calling her name from outside. "Get away from her!" Adam grinned and rammed his blade into Blake's stomach shortly after withdrawing the blade from the weakened huntress as Yang's cry of anger reached his ears. Yang leapt at Adam as he charged to meet her, In that one moment Yang was vulnerable and as they crossed she felt immense pain and then nothing as her arm fell away and she was knocked unconscious. "No!" Blake tried to get to Yang before Adam only to be punted aside by the murderous leader. "Now then where was I ?" He lifted his blade high and was promptly interrupted by a cleaver which batted the longer weapon off of its path.

"Adam." The bull Faunus for his part froze completely. 'That voice, the anger' the recognition dawned on him. As he tried to back away from the towering form of Ashford as the Arch Baron advanced with unfathomable speed as his cleaver became a glaive that he used to quickly cleave Adams sword hand off, spilling the Bull faunus's blood across the floor.

"You disappoint me Adam, I had hopes that you would lead a peaceful revolution, now I even have to agree with Grimoire, the White Fang's name has slandered itself to much and has now become a threat to the safety of the people of Remnant, and so you shall fall." Adam's eyes widened as Ashford lifted his Glaive before ceasing. "You can still live Adam, you only need to tell us who is involved and all of the locations for White Fang bases." Adam growled and made to shoot Ashford with his sheathe and that is when Ashford spun the Glaive about using the but of the staff he parried the sheathe strike and jabbed forward and Adam Taurus thought no more.

Ashford went to Blake's side as she was trying to pick up Yang, tears rolling down her face. "Tuckson you got the medical box?" The other Faunus replied with a curt nod as he began to wrap Yang's stump with bandages. "Blake?" Blake looked up to her father her eyes were puffed up from her tears that still fell. Ashford put his hand on her head "It'll be okay, I know it doesn't right now but we are winning and things will get better from here." Blake just nodded as she watched over her friend. Tuckson finished his work and moved over to Adam to begin wrapping the two stump to stop the bleeding.

 **I know I know short chapter but I am just thinking on how to end this, Do I divert from cannon heavily? Or do I let beacon fall? I am stuck on the decision so Ill see about getting a poll set up regarding it and until next time.**

 **LP**


	17. announcement

**A Brief announcement**

Hey guys just writing in to tell you that the poll should be up on my page if you want to vote the deadline is the 24th of April 2016.

 **Have a nice weekend !**

 **-LP**


	18. The battle of Beacon Finale

**RWBY belongs to Rooster teeth and Monty Oum**

Ozpin watched as the Vampyres and his students fought off the attack. He knew how this would end or at least he hoped he knew, the White Fang forces had been virtually butchered by the Vampyres and his students had been able to hold off the Grimm, almost to the point of it looking like they were winning. His thoughts were interrupted as the Dragon that had been circling the school crashed into the ground only a few yards away with the last Atlesian Battleship circling above while bombarding the creature with an insane amount of firepower. "The castle must not fall, Ozpin you know that the Nikos girl will die if you try what you and Ironwood planned right?" Ozpin sighed. "I know." He heard Grimoire groan as he watched a particularly vicious White Fang member being impaled by one of the Grey Guardsmen, one of the units from Atlas that had accompanied Althea to Vale armored in modern body armor and wielding a spear that had barbs on the sides for goreing enemies that they caught.

"You know what must be done, the Castle may fall, but not its inhabitants." Ozpin turned and stared at Grimoire. "And give up the maiden? To her!? Never." Grimoire growled. "Then let me take her from here." Ozpin shook his head. "No we cannot move her." Grimoire sethed for a moment. "Fine, then we shall stand."

He stormed from the tower and saw Cinder standing on the rooftop of a nearby building watching as the students of Beacon fought their way to the tower. "Help the students or put an end to this madness? Alright let's end this here and now before it gets worse." Grimoire drew Ragnarok and moved to opose Cinders advance as she casually moved towards the central tower of Beacon. "HARLOT!" Cinder dodged the first strike by a margin vanishing from the ground that was now shattered by Ragnarok as Grimoire swung again. Cinder parried attempting to use her blades to gut the Vampyre that dared to stand in her way only to watch as she missed and her arms erupt with bloody rivers appearing on them. She growled in pain seeing the Lord of Chains Gate's second in command that Belladonna jumping back after his strike Holding his halberd ready for another strike or to counter one. "You're outmatched Cinder surrender and there may be mercy." She glared at him while preparing for her next move.

She struck forward barely slipping past Grimoire's guard and cut a swath into his armor adding to the countless others. He struck back hitting only air as he watched her run Ashford through from behind spilling blood across the flagstones. Ashford dropped his weapon reaching back and clutching Cinder's head between his hands he swung her forward and smashed her against the ground to a sickening crunch as she made contact. Cinder staggered to her feet and as she looked about herself she saw a horrifying sight, Emerald and Mercury fighting for their lives against the Faunus, Tuxton who they had allegedly killed when they first got there. She moved quickly managing to grab both of them and onto a White Fang transport before Grimoire or any of his subordinates. She watched as Beacons walls cracked and the dragon fall off into the Emerald forest a burning stump where it's head once was and the ship that had destroyed it was turning to the school.

"Mistress, we failed." She growled at Emerald as the thief slipped into unconsciousness, the same as Mercury had during their flight from the field. Cinder looked out at the the Beacon plateau, Vampyres ran down grimm like wolves running down rabbits and the Goliaths that had been approaching from the south had all been wiped out by another force of supposedly Vampyres who carried a banner with a black hill and red castle atop it flying from the banner held by one of the wretched creatures.

"Advance!" The sound of battle rang alongside the voice of the officer as the small band of roving Vampyres who had settled in the outer region of Mount Glenn charged into the flank of the remaining Grimm, black and ashen plate armor shone in the moonlight as battle was joined and Grimm were either gunned down or run through with spear, pike or sword and cleaved in twain by axe and Halberd all from behind the secure line of shields the Glennites had.

The block of Vampyre's cleaved they're way through the ruins of Beacons outer buildings as they massacred Grimm that fell upon them from all sides. The banner, a rallying point for any scattered Vampyric soldiers who quickly took up positions with they're comrades, strengthening the schiltron of halberds and shields with every addition. Across the battlefield other bands of warriors made similar pushes into the school cleaving out massive swathes of the enemy with every new push they made.

"Come on! We need to push forward!" Krieg grinned as he directed three blocks of the Chains Gate Vampyre's who had rallied and as they moved forewards he looked to the banners they had, grey banners with black Chains crossing over them and a white gate behind them, in some cases Vampyre's took actual chains and hung them on the banner. "Sir the Stones Grove forces have re taken the area around the central tower!" Krieg nodded, Althea may be a wild card on some days but on days like this she will turn into the unexpected. "Good tell them we are going to sweep the enemy over the cliff." The younger man nodded and ran off with the message. "I love nights like these, dark, a full moon, the only other light coming from Aura and the sparks of claws on armor and bullets being spat." He breathed in spreading his arms wide. "THIS is why I joined Thorn and Grimoire, because they could end this type of thing. So how about it boys? Who wants to fight an ultimate battle!?" The roar of the Vampyre's spread to every warband in Beacon and even some of the Hunters and Huntresses took up the cry and the blocks seemed to gather faster both in movement and numbers as they swept towards the cliff.

Grimoire took hold of the shattered blade Cinder had left in Ashfords side and pulled, this forced both the sword and a great amount of blood to spill onto the ground as well. "How are you holding up?" Ashford groaned. "Good you can still complain, that means you've still got some fire in ya." Ashford got up and nodded at the hole in his side. "I'm gonna go to the field hospital, best to check up on them." Grimoire nodded and began walking back into the fray as Ashford went the other way.

"Report." Krieg turned to Grimoire as he approached. "Our center and left flanks are holding." Grimoire raised an eyebrow. "Who has the right flank?" Krieg smiled. "The hunters have the right." Grimoire craned his neck and saw a familiar red hood leading that front alongside at least a dozen others. "Huh will you look at that? The apprentice is learning command much faster than I thought." Krieg rolled his eyes as the two advanced with the line. "Where's Ashford? He usually doesn't leave a fight until it's done." Grimoire took his helmet off for a moment. "He was wounded in combat and decided while it was closing he would visit Blake." Krieg nodded and turned to direct some forces.

Ruby cleaved another Beowulf in half as she advanced, she saw glyphs being cast by Weiss to her right and heard Jaune directing some of the hunters in training on her left likely with Phyrra next to him. "Gryphons incoming!" Ruby didn't need to look up to see the impressive flak screen that was quickly thrown up from the long range team at the back made up primarily by Nora and Neptune. She looked out at the massive hoard and she saw the cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest and she knew they had nearly won. "Come on! One more push!" The call had come from the center of the line and she watched as the Vampyre's broke ranks and pushed forward viciously with the hunters in training falling behind. "We have to catch up!" Sun had managed to catch up during Ruby's pause. "Sun your team should take the left, team FNKI to the right and team JNPR to the center lets go!" Jaune had literally sprinted by while shouting those orders and had lead his team into they're slot while team FNKI lead by Flint Coal had taken the right as ordered. Sun whistled and lead his team to take the left and as the other teams advanced quickly through the noticeably shrinking gap between Vampyric and Hunter forces.

Yang groaned as she tried to run her face before realizing she had to move her left arm to do so. She felt the emptiness at her elbow and shot up in her the cot she was in staring at the stump where her arm had been. "You're awake." Yang's eyes snapped over to the other cot where Blake was laying with bandages wrapped around her stomach and next to her cot was her father in scarred and dented armor with a vicious looking bloodstain that soaked through the bandages shoved into the wound. "What happened?" She could barely remember anything from the fight, just seeing Blake being stabbed then red. "You charged Adam, lost your arm for it. I arrived after forcing one of Adam's men to reveal his position, I fought him if you can call it a fight, and took his arm off and him captive." Yang nodded while trying to get comfortable in her cot, and looking around she saw numerous hunters in training or not with grievous wounds, some were missing limbs, others were crying as medics tried to put their guts back in their stomachs.

"It's a mess out there, we're winning but it's costing mortal lives and making immortal lives." Yang looked over to Blake about to ask a question. "You and I were not harmed to the point of requiring Vamparism." Yang nodded. "Where's everyone else?" Ashford sighed. "Cleanup, lots of bodies and rubble to clear, white fang to execute and a thousand minor things in between." Blake groaned at the thought that the White Fang, the group she had tried to save from extermination had practically thrown themselves on Grimoire's swords and had painted targets on themselves for every Vampyre on the world to exploit.

"I know you don't like it Blake, I don't like it either but it's out of my hands and now that people know we exist we have to show that we won't stand for what's been done." He paused as many voices and footfalls passed the medical tent and as they faded off he put his head in his hands and swept his disheveled hair back. "This is a real mess, half the Vale council is dead the other half held up in some old fortress by the walls and the few military forces of Vale just being mustered." Yang huffed as she looked at her arm. "I want to help, but how do I do that?" Blake thought for a moment before she came up with something. "What about General Ironwood? Half his body is mechanical including his arm, maybe we can get one for you?" Ashford snapped his fingers a smile coming to his face as he lept to his feet. "I have an idea… two birds with one stone if you will." Blake and Yang shared a look as Ashford went over to one of the guards who wore simple plate armor and half helms and sipping from a steaming mug, said guard placed his mug onto one of the doctors work desks before running out. Ashford smiled as he returned to his seat beside his daughter and her friend and just before he could launch into an exclamation the flaps on the opposite side of the tent whipped open and Zwei who had been laying on a blanket at the foot of Yang's cot launched towards the flap as a tall man with blonde hair and purple eyes stormed in. "Yang! Yang!? YAAAAAAAAANG!?" Yang groaned as Zwei attacked the man with licks and ran back to her cot. "Blake, Mr. Belladonna, meet my dad." Taiyang nearly smothered Yang as he held her. "Dad please stop! Not in front of my teammate and her dad please!" Taiyang released his daughter and quickly greeted the two only pausing after greeting Ashford. "So you've been helping Ruby get used to… well…" Ashford smiled. "Being a Vampyre? Yeah, she's a good kid and has quite the strategic mind." Tai smiled and nodded before continuing.

"Where is she anyways? I thought she would be here as well." Ashford shook his head. "She's leading the first years alongside one Jaune Arc in securing the school, from the reports i've been getting they've been clearing buildings faster than we can make use of them." Tai's smile was slightly more somber as he nodded. "So Yang what's the plan?" Yang perked up a bit and looked down at the stump of her arm. "I want to help and sent someone to get something he said would help." Ashford shrugged as the two blondes and his daughter looked to him. "It's a secret but this will fix both your problem and one that General Ironwood has recently encountered with the loss of , or at least her body that is." He smiled as the flaps opened up revealing a haggard looking General Ironwood and a few of his technicians. "I heard

you had a plan for solving a couple of mutual problems, ." Ashford looked to Tai who looked to Yang who nodded. "Indeed we do General, Indeed we do."

 **Well that's the end of the Battle of Beacon and just to tell people things will be different from cannon, this is an AU after all. Thanks for reading.**

 **-LP**


	19. The end of the Battle

**I'm back, with another installment of MSGU, enjoy**

The Doctor smiled as he sat down next to Yang. "Ms. Xiao Long? A pleasure to meet you. I am doctor Thomas Ekelberg of Atlas's cybernetics department." Yang shook the mans hand. "So doc, I was told that this would help me and you with some problems?" The doctor nodded as he popped open his briefcase. "We are working on creating tougher prosthetics so that both androids like and hunters like you can keep fighting and as such we must first do something before we equip the first arm."

Yang arched an eyebrow as the doctor stood. "Oh and what's that?" The doctor smiled pulling out a measuring tape. "Limb measurements, and paperwork, lots and lots of legal paperwork."

"Noooooooooo!"

"Did anyone here that?" Ruby looked up from the Beowulf her shortsword was stuck in for a moment trying to discern the distant wail. "It came from the camp so I'm guessing a wounded person." Weiss's response reminded her that they were clearing out one of the dorm wings as she pulled her short sword and sheathed it while bringing Crescent Rose back up in rifle form. "Well we have one more floor to go so let's finish it and see if our room's intact."

Ruby nodded as she and Weiss walked up the last stairwell with team CFVY. "So how are we doing this?" Coco thought for a moment. "Yo Yatsu, you, Ruby and Fox in the back Weiss middle, Velvet front with me." They took they're positions and edged open the door slowly and peered in. "Huh, I don't see any Grimm just a couple of dogs." Dogs? The only dogs at Beacon right now are… "Zwei? Ceann?" The sound of barking and running paws filled the halls as the hounds swarmed the door. "Woah! Back off a bit! Watch the boots!" The group managed to get into the hallway which they now saw was littered with Grimm corpses in a single pile where the dogs had been crowding. "Ruby?" Ruby looked up to Velvet and Coco and saw a determined glint in her eye as the younger huntress held Zwei. "Y-Yeah?"

"Your dogs awesome." Ruby smiled. "He is." They checked the other rooms as they walked down the halls of the top floor and found several doors barricaded from the inside. "Hello? The Grimm are gone. You can come out now." The door didn't budge and there was no sound from inside either. Ruby looked to Coco. "Yatsu, the door please?" Yatsuhashi nodded and with several shoulder slams knocked down the door, into a ruined room. "Looks like a Nevermore got in here..." The room was trashed, the four beds thrown around and the desks crushed. "It seems they got out while it was trashing the place." Ruby nodded and looked out the window.

Beacon was a wreck, the Ozpin's tower had been damaged badly, the dorms were still embroiled with sporadic firefights and the entrances to Chains Gate scattered around the school had been opened up and fortefied for the use of Hunters, Atlas soldiers and the Vampyric force that prowled the grounds in packs. Said Vampyres had grown in number as well as variation from the Vale Vampyres that wore half plate armor with full helms and tower shields with a variety of melee and ranged weapons to the newly arrived Vacuan Vampyres that wore chainmail and cloth armor with headwraps with rounded out kite shields and spears with many long range weapons meant for hit and run purposes.

"Let's keep going, there's bound to be something here to fight." The group exited the room and began down the hall again this time Ruby, Weiss and Coco were on the left and Fox, Velvet and Yatsuhashi were on the right side kicking open doors and checking the rooms. They came to the last set of doors and kicked the left one open revealing nothing but a wrecked room and as Yatsuhashi kicked open the other door a Beowulf came roaring out, and was cleaved in twain immediately. The room had two more Beowulfs in it and they were dispatched by Velvet using a sword she had snapped a picture of, specifically Grimoire's giant blade.

"Well that was all of them I think." Coco stated as she poked at one of the corpses. The group left the room quickly and began making their way down the steps with the small pack of dogs following them. "So what now?" Ruby asked as they exited the dorm into one of Beacons many courtyards. Marching through said courtyard was at ten Vampyre's of Chains Gate who were using pikes to corner a Goliath. "There's something to do… I guess." They moved to engage in the fighting as the Goliath was finally pinned to the wall. Ruby sprinted forwards and slashed at the beasts exposed legs forcing it to its knees with the help of one of Weiss's gravity glyphs. Coco and Velvet attacked next spraying the beast with bullets and aura based projectiles. Yatsuhashi and Fox were up next with Yatsu going for the beasts last leg and Fox running up the pikes to get at its eyes. Yatsuhashi sword cleaved deeply into the limb embedding itself as Fox leapt for the final strike but only managing to open one of the creatures eyes to spew out black icor, the other eye was dispatched by a blunder axe thrown by Professor Port whom's left arm was in a sling. "Ha-HA Another victory over the creatures of darkness!" The Goliath fell over shortly after as two pikes were planted where its heart was spewing black and red icor all over those below the Goliath. "This is going to take some time to wash out…" Weiss stated as she and Ruby tried to get the gunk off of themselves, Coco on the other hand had jumped back with Velvet away from it and was poking some of it with her foot.

"This is irritating…" Krieg and Althea watched as Grimoire punted another pack of Beowulves off of Beacon cliff while chugging some of Dr. Ooblecks strange coffee beverage, otherwise known to the Vampyres as 'HOLYWHAT' which tended to be the only thing they called it as they took a sip of said beverage before they went flying off into the distance. "Is any of Vale's council still alive?" Krieg shrugged. "No idea, last we heard the council chambers had been breached, the palace with the royal family on the other hand that still stands." Althea scrunched her nose, Vale's King and Queen currently would probably be good rulers during the absence of a council and as such they would need a new fist to help them seeing as how Beacon was well… She watched another tower crumble much to the irritation of the Vampyres caught underneath. "We should go see the King and Queen soon yeah?" Krieg nodded. "Definitely…" They watched Grimoire tear the head off of a Goliath and direct a squadron of Blackguard in close order. "Joy…" They uttered simultaneously.

"So , Right? You're our boss now so with every job I do what's the first step?" Wulfram looked out from the Atlesian warships bridge frowning as he watched the witch escape. "Track down your former master, kill her little pets, or capture them for interrogation." Torchwick scratched his chin. "Doable I can track her but it depends on where she ends up if I can capture the rats." Wulfram smiled. "I have people who can help you, you will receive their names soon now go." And so Roman Torchwick and Neo walked off to complete their task with their grinning master looming on the bridge watching Cinders little ship flee into the clouds. "You flew to high Icarus and now your wings shall **BURN**."

 **Chibi's looking good… I have a plan for what to do after the BoB arc is done so hang tight and It will be uploaded soon. [Less than a month hopefully.]**

 **Until next time!**

 **-LP**


	20. Political Shennanigans

**RWBY belongs to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth  
POLITICAL SHENANIGANS AHEAD!**

Grimoire looked over the group he had brought with him, Ashford Belladonna his Arch Baron, Krieg Crissler his Baron of War, and Samuel Schwarts the Baron of Mountain Glenn. These three and a group of ten guards marched with him towards the capital building that had housed much of Vale's council before the battle of Beacon. "You sure we should address this now boss?" Samuel was the most worried and was holding his spear tight enough that it has bent slightly. "It'll be fine, we just need to get our and Ozzies point across." Grimoire responded. The gates of the complex had before the battle been huge and magnificent but now they were replaced by a massive armored bus since the original gate seemed to be embedded in the wall of the central building. "Who goes there?" A hunter, old and armed to the teeth stood atop the bus looking down at them.

"Lord Grimoire of Chains Gate under Beacon, I seek an audience with the council." Whatever civilians who were near the entryway cleared a path quickly as the gates were opened. "That was easier than expected." Krieg murmured as they walked into the compound and were lead to the main building. "The remaining council is conversing with the other governments of Remnant, on what I do not know." Grimoire nodded as he was lead into the building with his retinue and as they walked through they saw the extent of the damage with the number of corpses of both guards and politicians covered with cloth shrouds. Grimoire stopped by them and took off his helm for a moment bowing his head in the hall, with Krieg and the others of his party following his lead before continuing towards the main council room.

Grimoire stepped into the great hall and noticed most of the seats were empty and only the smallest ring of seats was occupied. He walked down the steps with his advisors leaving the guards to stand by the door. "Councilmen! A pleasure to meet you all at last." The councilmen looked up at him for a moment in shock but soon collected themselves as an elderly man walked forward to meet Grimoire. "I am Abraham, the only elder councilman still alive, I welcome you to our hall, Lord of Chains Gate." Grimoire and Abraham bowed slightly to one another before they and Grimoires followers took the remaining seats in the ring. "How has Vale overall taken the assault, and the fact that there are beings such as us living amongst them?" The council members murmured among themselves for a moment. "Well the support that your people can provide to Vale alone would be incredibly beneficial." Grimoire nodded, his retinue following in the action. "But then again we are not just in Vale, I am just the Lord in Vale. There is Lady Althea of Atlas, Lord Chrysós of Minstrel and Lord Alssariq of Vaccuo. That's only counting the major leaders there is also a large amount of minor Barons in between all of us too many to count, at the moment that is." The councilmen all seemed surprised by this but nodded anyways. "Unfortunately we are not sworn to protect a council, but instead the Monarchs and the academy's." This put the council on guard immediately, they remembered how they had gotten this power, and that was through slowly tearing down the Monarch's power in Vale with espionage and blackmail. "As such we are only here to announce to you that the Monarchs and schools of the kingdoms will receive support, the councils however will not until further notice."

The councilmen seemed to understand this and after more muttering their speaker stood. "I would like to make a deal with the Vampyres of Remnant, should your people act as a security force for Vale until we regroup our forces, then you shall be granted any boon you require in Vale." Grimoire stroked his chin for a moment. This boon could do immense good in the long run so he considered all he could do with it, he could use it to gain more rights for the Fauni people in Vale, he could gain influence over the council, or the hunters of Vale, or he could use his boon to generally improve relations.

"Deal but we will judge any criminals as we see fit, such as a recent prisoner who is paying back Vale for his crimes alongside his assistant." The council seemed to surge to deny him but the sound of crunching bone and splintering wood stopped them as the speaker slammed his fist into the table. "Enough, we accept your offer, Lord Grimoire, now why did you bring other people's of your kind here?" Krieg and Ashford smiled. "We are here to act as a military and Faunus relation advisor pair, since you lot botched Faunus relations this far Ashy here is going to take over while I retrain your military force to fight like an actual army, not a rabble of armed punks." The councilmen nodded. "We shall grant you permission to train our forces. We would like to oversee the Faunus relations personally…"

"Your previous attempts along with those of Atlas and other minor groups has only resulted in more Fauni and people who ally themselves to them gathering strength and power under your nose, and look where that's landed you. We will mend the human-faunus relations not you." The councilmen almost rose in uproar until Ashford brought his fist down upon the table. "SILENCE! The Beacon students are far better tempered than you, gods…" Ashford sat down while glaring at them from his seat, The other Vampyres doing similarly. Samuel Schwarts leaned forward steepling his fingers and fixing his glare slightly as his soft voice carried throughout the hall. "So to sort this out let's start from the top, What permissions will you be giving the Vampyres of Remnant?"

 **Short Chapter yadda yadda. How are my good readers today? Summers coming up and I am going to a camp for the summer so that means that I will probably be able to keep uploading just not at my usual Gusto. Have a great beginning of summer LP out.**


	21. A quest is given

**Hellooooooo Readers! How is everyone this fine summers day? RWBY is property of Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. Have a nice day! -LP**

Ruby concentrated on the small flaming ball in her hands, it shook with power as she focused to manifest it in a solid form and as she did it slowly formed into a rapidly cooling ball of steel that she had managed to melt with a simple fire spell and then collect with a stone kiln and then mold it herself into its current form. The steel ball was just that for now, a steel ball that would later be used to make several daggers that Ruby had decided to make in lieu to Vampyric tradition of 'to survive ones first major battle shalt earn them a tooth of steel kissed by the god of war' Lengthy but it made some sense, it was a reward of sorts for surviving a great ordeal and since she was granted permission to grant daggers to her peers she decided that she would forge them herself instead of having the blacksmith in Chains Gate do it, which meant she would have to visit the woman who ran the forge and ask to be taught how to properly engrave the blades.

She let out a breath she had been holding the steel orb long enough for it to harden and now could be forged into blades. "Alright, now to the forge." She got up from her sitting position and began walking out of RWBY and JNPR's courtyard camp, which was situated by one of the fallen pillars that had yet to be righted.. "Hello Ruby where are you going at this time?" Ruby looked over to see Pyrrha wearing a warm jacket, just like most of the other students since winter was fast approaching. "Oh Hi Pyrrha! Just down to Chains Gate, I need to ask the smith some questions." Pyrrha looked closely at the steel orb. "Mind if I join you? Jaune is doing paperwork and Ren and Nora are off getting supplies." Ruby smiled and nodded. "Sure! Come on let's go." As they walked towards the entrance to Chains Gate Ruby decided to ask Pyrrha some questions. "So how are things with Jaune?"

Pyrrha seemed to thing for a moment about the Knight, how he had been constantly having her back and urging caution during the massive melee during the battle. He had taken the front line with some other team leaders and Pyrrha had followed him, during the push she realized that Jaune had been keeping the swarm of hunters in training from breaking ranks and running into a meatgrinder that was the Grimm horde.

After the battle itself had ended she and Jaune had, 'addressed' their current relationship and had promptly began dating, which from what she could hear had costed Yang and Professor Port a fair amount of Lien in some bet they had made. "Things between us are great at the moment, He decided to make the closest thing to a fancy dinner he could make with well, this mess occurring." Ruby smiled. "That's really sweet of him." They arrived at the entrance of Chains Gate that had been built above ground for easier access. The entryway had a constant flow of people walking in and out of the gateway and standing off to the left of the doorway was Grimoire and Althea in the middle of a rather, adamant conversation. Said conversation involved a lot of embracing and little whispers. Pyrrha looked over to Ruby. "Are they?" Ruby nodded. "Yes, they are and have been for awhile, apparently they haven't had the chance to see each other in the last 80 ish years and now Grimoire apparently 'Owes' Althea something." The two walked into the gateway and as they walked down the massive downslope which made a 90 degree turn to make something of a ramp going down and soon the two of them were in the highest reaches of Chains Gate looking down into the massive sprawling catacomb city which now had hundreds of new Vampyres living in the catacombs.

With Ruby leading they soon arrived at the forges which were still pumping out new weapons every day for the growing number of Vampyres in the city. "Hello? Miss Brigid? You here I have some questions." The sound of hammers persisted as the smiths continued, except for a tall woman who wore an apron over a tunic and breeches. "Hey there lil Rubel! How're you t'day?" Ruby smiled as she shook the woman's hand. "I came by to ask you how to engrave some knives in the traditional fashion, my friend Pyrrha wanted to come and watch." Brigid smiled widely. "Sure! Come on." The ashen haired woman lead them further into a much smaller forge that was also filled with stone tablets with runes scrawled into them and what each rune meant scratched in below it. There were several hundred of these slabs spread throughout the room and stacked in small cupboards. Ruby almost immediately launched into the room only to be held back by Brigid who had grabbed her by the nape of the neck. "Calm down there kid, you want to learn how to do this you have to learn it well." Brigid let go of Ruby allowing her to enter the room as she picked up several slabs, "So what runes do you want to engrave? You can only engrave a handful of Runes onto the blades and that's working with some of the weaker stuff." Brigid grabbed a few of the tablets with deft hands piling them by the forge in a neat little line. "You also need the right equipment, another runic blade will do but sometimes it pays to have the legitimate stuff." She gripped a small pick, a chisel and pulled a knife from beneath her apron.

"Now then first you want a blade." Brigid pulled out an unfinished knife, measuring 7 inches long and 3 inches across. Brigid placed the knife on one of the stone trays that sat in the furnace before looking back to the girls. "Secondly, while the blade is heating prepare which marking you want and then retrieve the ingredients." She picked up one of the tablets. "Snakes Bite, a simple poisson mark, requires the blood of the forger and a ground snake skin mixed with snake poison." Brigid pulled out a few jars from the closet in the room and then began mixing the snake poison and ground skin into a sort of paste before putting a small amount of it into a smaller jar that had a sort of glass air spray bottle look to it. She then walked over to the now glowing blade and picked up her own knife. "Now then the words you speak depend on who you're giving it to mainly so basically remember the format that I will say the spell in arlight?" Ruby nodded paying close attention as the elder Vampyre drew the blade across her palm allowing her blackened blood to drop onto the knife coating it instantly. "O Gods of the fire, Smiths of Old, I seek to create a blade for a soldier and friend, This blade is to protect him, grant him good hunts and to give his enemies a suffering like no other, I Brigid Von Helov craft this blade for Krieg Krieler the Baron of War for Chains Gate." The blade seemed to glow for a moment before the blood seemed to seep into it as Brigid then applied the poisonous paste. "And then you add a hilt, wait for it to dry and your done, any questions?"

The two girls shook their heads and Ruby took out the Iron orb holding it out. "How many daggers can this make?"

Brigid looked it over for a moment and smiled. "Six I think, maybe seven if you make them small knives." Ruby nodded as she went off to the forges to begin the process of forging the daggers as Pyrrha stayed in the room.

"How long have you been doing this?" Brigid smiled as she leaned against the counter.

"A hundred maybe two hundred years give or take. I was the smith in my village before it was destroyed and the Vampyres in the area found me." She smiled. "Those lads, ones a Lord now and the others serve him and they all work hard towards ensuring the safety of those who live under them." She looked over to Pyrrha her eyes seeming to give a smile. "And the rest of us just have to make sure that they don't go crazy." Pyrrha decided that she should probably get back to the others and smiled. "Well have a nice night Brigid."

Brigid smiled, "You have a nice night as well !"

Jaune stared at the map of Remnant with different colored and shaped pieces spread throughout the board, he could see a series of yellow pieces arrayed around Vacuo with several dark orange pieces clustered in the middle of the southern desert, Vale was a plethrough of colors with the White and Grey of Atlas's forces and Vampyres respectively, the light and dark Green of Vale and the Gold and Bronze of Minstrel. "Krieg? What am I looking at?" Krieg, the Baron of war smiled.

"This is a map of Remnant and it is showing the troop deployments as of right now." Jaune nodded as his eyes scanned the board again. The forces in Vale and Atlas were plentiful in regards to numbers but Vacuo and Minstrel looked as though they had retreated into the inner sanctum with only a few Vampyre Barons ranging through the outer lands. "The Barons, they have differently painted pieces?" Krieg nodded. "The Barons like to distinguish their own forces in the field from others, for example the new Barony of Mountain Glenn, you saw his forces right?" Jaune nodded, their shields were Diamond shaped instead of the rather irregular shaping of the Vale shields and they were armed more for city combat with close range weapons and formations that could be used to force out resistance in melee. "Yes I have, I also noticed how the forces from Atlas and Vacuo's Barons have differences as well." Krieg nodded.

"With all of these different forces running around using different equipment and the like we would be burdened with the bill, if it were not for the common rule of 'supply thyself for war' which was said by King Thorn who as you know formed our little immortal species, in a way." Jaune nodded, with all of these forces operating in individual zones close or far from civilization it was guaranteed that supplies would be a problem across the board so localizing the problem and granting the Barons liberty to use their environment to supply themselves really cut back on the lord's budget.

"So why did you want me here?" Krieg's small smile vanished. "You share a trait with your ancestors, specifically the ones we fought beside and against, you are very strategic, and you are improving in swordsmanship, thus the Barons have elected to request one team from Beacon whose leader shall head the operation of restoring order to the outskirts of Vale since the Barons of Patch and Mountain Glenn have reported shattered White Fang and Grimm forces running amok the outlying settlements. As such you have been chosen to lead a force of forty Valean Vampyres in securing the outlying settlements of Vale." Jaune was stunned, he had been chosen out of all of the leaders to head not just his own team but also group of Vampyres in fighting the forces of both darkness and fanaticism on the very border of Vales territory.

"So do you accept?" Jaune thought further, his team needed time to recover from the battle of Beacon and he would have to find out who he would be leading so that they could coordinate. "Will I have time to prepare before setting out?" Krieg nodded. "You have a few weeks to gather the needed supplies and to meet your forces." Jaune nodded. "I'll need to talk to my team, if that's alright?" Krieg nodded. "That's fine but I will need an answer for my fellow Barons, also Sun Wukong and his team have accepted their assignment in Mistral, and his forces are being gathered here so if you want to you can operate with them while they are going North to the coastal Baronies and their ports." Jaune nodded and exited the tent leaving the smell of burning candles and steel behind him as he walked back to his newly repaired dorm room. 'They decided to pick my team out of all others.' Jaune had read the tome Ruby had on the history of the Vampyres and how his family had been the biggest threat to them even over the kingdoms and the once great kingdom of Mantle which had fallen due to the Vampyres. The one battle that his family and the Vampyres fought side by side in until now had been the final battle of the great war against the Grimm which had forced them into a stalemate of sorts until now.

He walked into his dorm room to see Nora and Ren fixing their weapons on one of the desks while Pyrrha was trying on some new armor she and Jaune had been given the previous day by one of the Vampyre companies that were actively running around Vale and Beacon. He sat beside her and pulled out his set of armor, which was made up of a chainmail shirt, brigandine, half helm, gauntlets, greaves and sabatons all steel and the brigandines cloth components in his colors of Yellow and White with the Arc crest on the left breast. Pyrrha's armor simply 'filled out' the rest of her armor by adding armor that went up to her neck while the rest of the extensions covered her midriff with iron plates sewn into thick cloth that brought her armor together quite nicely. She also now had some armor on her shoulders from any slashing blows.

"Hey guys." Jaune greeted as he took his seat next to Pyrrha as she modified her new pieces of armor so that they would fit with the rest better. "Hello Jaune, what did Krieg want?" Jaune sighed as he placed Crocea Mors onto his desk while opening one of the drawers so that he could get his whetstone. "He told me that the Vampyric Barons want us to head an operation of sorts where we will be securing the outskirts of Vale, fighting bandits, wiping out grimm forces, and driving out any White Fang forces we find." Pyrrha thought for a moment as the rasp of Jaune sharpening Crocea Mors with the blade resting across his lap. "It sounds more like we will be fighting other people, not grimm." Jaune groaned. "I know, but then again this may be necessary with the fact that the White Fang has Vampyres of their own." Pyrrha nodded, it made sense especially if an entire group of Vampyres decided to commit genocide while strengthening themselves. "I see, but why us?" Jaune shrugged. "Apparently the Barons went through all of the teams and decided that the one with what Krieg called 'A very strategic mind' which he told me I apparently have from my ancestors who also fought against and with the Vampyres."

Pyrrha remembered that during the clearing of Beacon they had been at the head of one of the Vampyric forces and during that time Jaune had managed to act as a temporary head to the cut off group that had wandered from the main swarm. "I see, there's also the event during the clearing when we were with those Vampyres from ChainsGate." Jaune nodded. "Maybe they suggested us?" He shrugged. "Either way Krieg wants an answer and I want to help in any way I can so, you guys want to go?" Nora was the first to respond seemingly launching herself from her seat next to Ren to stand right next to Jaune. "Dowegettogocamping?Istherepancakes?CanIrideursas?" Jaune chuckled at her enthusiasm before turning to Ren who nodded sagely. Jaune finally turned to Pyrrha and she smiled kindly at him. "I believe we have decided to go." He smiled. "Alright, we're going to need to collect some supplies for the trip and I have to go to Krieg to receive the orders proper and figure out who we are going to be working with." And with that the team began to plan with the information they had.

 **Hey guys, summer's going well and I'm going off to a camp for a bit! I have also recently gotten a laptop for that so I can possibly keep updating so long story short, LIFE IS GOOD! And i hope that your summers are going just as well! Have a good time till the next time!**

 **-LP**


	22. The battle of High Plains

**Rwby belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum**

His shoulders ached as he ran through the field, blood, his comrades and his enemies both coats the ground alongside the bodies of scale and chain mailed warriors bearing tabards of Valean green and Mantelian White lay in the field with lances, spears, swords, axes and maces laying by their masters sides as their horses were as well. He looked back and saw the beast, armored in white chainmail and with the black spear of Mantle emblazoned on his chest as he ran after him with his own sword raised. He turned his head forward and kept running, he saw his sword lying in the gut of a Mantelion knight, coated red in blood and painting it's hilt and guard red.

He ran faster and finally reached the corpse and as he reached to grip his blade his foot caught forcing him into a tumble over the warm corpse of his former foe and into the thick mud and blood of the field that filled his visor for a moment before he scrambled to his feet and turning to face his foe, bringing up his shield and preparing for his foes assault only to see the form of his opponent bisected by the neck, spilling the man's guts,blood and other fluid onto the field as the man, no older than him onto the ground.

The man choked out a final sob and fell revealing a short black haired youth wearing black scale mail and holding a massive thin blade with a wider one being held in another pair of hands made of shadow. The youth's eyes seemed to shine red as he looked over at the warrior.

"Hello Sir Knight, a wonderful war we're having here today eh?" Sir Julius Arc of Vale threw off his helm and vomited onto the ground. "Oh so that's how your days been, no worries friend, it only gets easier." And as he sat there unknowing of his fate in this world Julius prayed to any that would listen for strength in his coming struggles.

 **This is probably the first POV thing i've written in a while so I do hope that I am hoping that I wrote it well, also as always have a good day, always review, your friend.**

 **-LP**


	23. The forge

**RWBY belongs to Rooster teeth and Monty Oum.**

 **Also a word of warning I have written some lemon in this chapter so be warned**

Ruby grinned as she sat down after finishing the last of the nine daggers with the ninth in neon green and copper resting on her lap as she prepared to sharpen it. The steel was a glistening silver that shimmered in dark and light alike and was engraved with runes that depicted honor, freedom, and happiness in a long curving mark that connected all three of them.

Ruby's own dagger was a short but elegant thing that curved like her scythe and had numerous runes engraved on it seemingly making a garden of flour like runes that glowed red in darkness and seemed to shine like a torch with the touch of Grimm blood. She remembered her first test with it against a Beowulf that had lasted only but a few moments against her which ended with the Beowulf's skull rolling across the floor of the room leaving the body twitching before her.

She then looked over at each dagger to the left of her own. First was Weiss's which was elegant and long, fashioned after the dagger that Winter had paired with her blade Ruby hoped Weiss would be able to use it in battle and other things as well since she made each knife for being worn just about anywhere. She had also engraved dust infused runes into the hilt and blade of the dagger and had been able to make it in the fashion that Weiss's snowflake was in.

The next dagger was Blake's and was single edged with blackened steel with runes engraved into the blade in the similar color, hiding the deadly symbols from others while still allowing for them to be read upon inspection. There was very little in the way of a guard at the hilt of the dagger but that was covered by the fact that the blade was quiet as a whisper when drawn and could cut through most things Grimm save an Ursa and above in size.

Yang's dagger was fashioned to fit onto her gauntlet and could be activated and used as a punching dagger with its wide base and narrow tip all engraved with flaming runes that seemed to sing with each slash or stab of the blade.

She then moved on to team JNPR's blades beginning with Jaune's which was a long single edged hunting Seax with white runes that granted the ability to pierce grimm hide. The sheath for his blade was able to be strapped to either his shoulder or hip.

Nora's blade was fashioned after her personality, vibrant and loud with the pink runes seemingly sparking whenever exposed to sunlight along the long knife that ended at the beginning of the hilt that had now crossguard.

Pyrrha's blade was a teardrop blade with red runes and a bronze hilt that lead to a leather wrapped grip that shone slightly in the sunlight. The sheath would go on the hip or on to the inside of her shield.

Ren's dagger was long and curved as it had runes carved in green with the last one by the end of the blade being fashioned like a flower in pink as the hilt was wrapped in leather dyed green. The sheath would go onto his hip or small of his back with the leather of the sheath having flower like designs pressed into it and highlighted in green. She smiled as she placed Penny's dagger into its sheath and sat back to look at her work a small smile dancing across her lips. "I guess I should wrap them or something, I'll decide tomorrow."

Screams of horses and men filled the air as Grimoire swung his blade against the Mantleian knight nearly smashing the sword to pieces but instead launching the knight back several inches. Blood and mud seeped around his boot as he stepped over a corpse to pursue his foe who screamed as Grimoire crushed his chent cavity with the flat end of his blade caving in the man's ribcage and ending the knights life.

He looked up at the banners that surrounded him, the spears of Mantle, The Axes of Vale, The shield of Mistral and the Swords of Vacuo all battled around him as the crowned Thorned Rose banner flew above depicting a black rose covered in thorns on a field of red and white. He saw his comrades around him slashing their foes to pieces with the power lent to them by their ally who was now gone. The power of vampyrism, unending life as long as you drink the blood of peoples, something Grimoire had negated by using grimm essence which was just as filling in his opinion. He thrust his shortsword into an approaching knight's throat before flinging the body into several of the knights from Mantle toppling them. 'This is glorious!' A voice sang, high and jovial with a hint of laughter in it. 'Look at them all! Killing each other while the true threat fights amongst them!' Grimoire silenced the voice that had been pestering him, telling him to kill or to wreak more violence on the innocent, but he did not especially after the massacre at Hanford where a band of Valeans had tried to stop them.

"Grimoire you there little brother?" Grimoire turned to see his elder brother Thorn walking towards him, a pair of Mantle knights impaled on his twin sythes. "We must end this now, before the Grimm take advantage. "Grimoire nodded before charging after his brother towards the Mantle banners, with thousands of their comrades following in armor painted red, black and left silver sweeping past the other armies and mainly killing the Mantle warriors on their way through. Grimoire saw him, the corrupt king, the one who was responsible for so many Grimm incursions into the safety of the kingdoms including his own. "We must end this now!" Grimoire saw a Valean knight wrapped in a great helm and full plate armor with dual golden arcs dancing across his chest as he smashed his way past Mantle's knights with a Longsword that shone like the moon as it carved bloody swathes through the enemy lines.

Grimoire and Thorn exchanged a look before Krieg and Althea passed them. "Come on let's do this!" Grimoire chuckled at the young Lady's enthusiasm before following them into the Mantle forces, smashing aside men and cleaving others in twain as they followed Thorn and Arc towards the center of the maddening battle. In the center of it all was a pulsing madness that pulled at his mind and tore at his scalp, trying to pull his skull from his body with a red smile and wide vicious black eyes.

He awoke to the echos of the war and sat up with sweat coating his bare body as he looked about his room for the creature that had once been a king. "Just a dream." He murmured as he tried to get up only to be dragged back into bed by a pair of pale hands that had a single black gemstone ring wrapped around the pale hands ring finger. Althea's silver hair seemed to make an oralia around her face as Grimoire turned to her to see her tired features. "Yes love?" He asked raising an eyebrow as Althea opened one of her eyes. "Too early." The statement was more order than suggestion and Grimoire decided to lay back down with her. He then recalled the previous night, when they had finally gotten some time to themselves.

Grimoire remembered the time prior to becoming a Vampyre when they had found Althea, she had been hiding in her family's basement and had met him through the solid connection of a frying pan to the face which nearly broke his nose. He also remembered how she had frantically apologized afterwards and would only stop to berate him on his 'barbarism' which was founded at the time even as they slowly began to do similar things such as both of them eating meat off the bone or actually washing at least once a week. To put it simply Althea became Grimoire's other half and if you saw one troublemaker than the other would be nearby. This as Grimoire remembers with disdain is when Althea was captured and then tortured, he remembered Thorn telling him to leave her and instead he stormed the small keep she was held in and freed her which is when they for all intents and purposes connected romantically to one another. For Grimoire it was to heal after what happened to his home for Althea it was learning to trust people again which she eventually did with him and then the others. But the way of destiny would require them to part for a time, for after Thorns death and the war they had to return to their holdings and watch over the remaining kingdoms to ensure their safety, until now that is.

Althea shifted next to him, curling slightly towards him her arms reaching out and encircling him before lightly pulling him back into her embrace. He decided to lay back down and pull her form to his own, allowing her mane of silver and his of pitch to mix around them like water. He remembered what he vowed to her, when she told him that she wanted to start a family with him and the extensive conversation that happened after with the two of them sitting in each other's arms and chattering the night away until they had been called back to their duties.

Grimoire started to stand as as the sheets fell off of him Althea got out of the bed as well her toned legs and wide hips swayed as she strutted to where her robe was as her hair bounced in time with her steps. She caught him staring and decided to stretch before raising an eyebrow at him. He huffed as he walked over to her with a few long strides before he towered over her. "So, do you wish to continue?" Althea's Cheshire smile and her almost ethereal laugh answered his question. So he picked her up and the two of them fell back into bed.

WARNING SMUT BELOW

Grimoire smiled as he felt her tracing circles onto his chest with ice cold fingers leaving red tracks leading back down the Lords chest towards his waist. "Althea, how long has it been?" He allowed his hand to wonder down, down the shorter Vampyre's body as they once again locked lips. Their legs were intertwined with Althea laying atop Grimoire, both of them exposed to the air of their room. "

Eighty? No Ninety years." Her gasp was pleasure to his ears as he allowed his more primal side to take over and he quickly advance, flipping the positions as he began kissing her, tasting her flesh and leaving a series of red marks down her neck and collarbone down to her ample bosom where he teasingly lapped at them and gently gnawed upon them eliciting groans of pleasure from his mistress. Then he felt her hands gripping at his hair, pulling him upwards.

He followed them, still leaving his little path of marks along her body until their mouths locked again, she wrapped her legs about him her heat plainly needing as his carnal nature urged him and he plunged into her filling into a heated tunnel he allowed his hands to wonder, one went to her back lifting her so they could be closer as his member rubbed at her entrance. "Are your ready love?"

Althea smiled at him as he plunged in bathing his member in her warmth as she gripped his back, he slowly built a rhythm as he continued to fuck her speeding up gradually as they kissed, he then began to use his thumb and index finger to twirl her pale pink nipples between his fingers before lightly squeezing her tits eliciting a slight laugh from her they kissed.

They continued in this silent pleasure for what felt like hours with Grimoire speeding up until finally his inner walls burst allowing for his seed to fill her fully as she happily moaned into him as they both fell onto their bed huffing and sweating from the exertion. "So M'lady, art thou pleased?" He smirked at her as she lightly smacked his jaw before kissing him again.

"Yes, I'm very pleased, and we should do this again without a two digit gap wait." He smiled as he sat up moving over her and smiling down at her with a predatory grin. "Certainly M'lady."

SMUT END

 **I have no idea what I've just done but I know one thing that shall be explained via a quote of deadpool.**

 **I'm touching myself tonight… Most likely.**

 **Have a good summer folks, from your slightly deranged writer - LP**


	24. Preparing to March

**Here we go again, you know the drill, let's get to this latest chapter! RWBY belongs to Rooster teeth and Monty Oum**

Grimoire observed a large scroll that was laid across his desk, It was a family tree of the Rose family beginning long before he had been born and continued onwards with each descendant of Thorn leading all the way from Son to Grandson to Great Granddaughter whose name was Summer. He sighed as he took up the quill beside him and painted another vine of the rosebush down several inches before stopping to paint the name of the subject, Ruby Rose. He smiled then went back to Thorn's name in red and then his own in black that was linked with Althea's white with Silver chains and granite pillars connecting the two names. He smiled as he then dusted Ruby's name to dry the ink. He then rolled up the scroll and placed it back into his desk right next to his personal journals.

He then stood from his desk and walked out of his office and into the halls of Chains Gate. He walked for a minute and arrived at the war room. The room had a low vaulted ceiling and a large stone table in the center of the room that had a map of Remnant carved into it as well as small stone figures carved in the fashions of both the Normal and Vampyric forces of the Kingdoms with a majority of them seemingly being in or around Vale with the occasional Baron's force positioned in the wilderness.

"Krieg, have you briefed our volunteers?" Krieg looked up from his desk at the opposite end of the room and stood. "Aye my lord, Jaune Arc has been given a platoon of the more raw troops that we had in the reserves." Grimoire nodded. "And Ruby Rose?" Krieg scratched his chin for a moment. "Well she and her team still need some time for recovery but I am sure that if you want to bring them on the expedition they would be happy to go, granted Qrow Branwen may want to accompany you." Grimoire nodded. "That's to be expected Krieg, especially after recent events."

Krieg nodded as he walked over to the stone table, and watched as the pieces moved of their own accord to new locations on the board and several of the figurines raised their banners. "Seems the Fang is still trying to fight in a running battle, the fools will likely corner themselves." The pair observed the ongoing operations for a time as Althea and several officers from both Atlas and Vale joined them to observe the proceedings of the Campaign.

"Krieg how goes the training of the new Vale military?" Krieg scratched his jaw for a moment before responding. "It is progressing well, we have volunteers from the city and even from some outlying settlements." Grimoire nodded. "And the council?" Some of the commanders sighed and even groaned at the mention of the council. "Ashford told me that they are still being a tad resistent, though they are being cancelled out by their own military officers and even the resurging supporters of the monarchs." The table fell silent as Grimoire and Krieg both reached into some of the stone drawers of the table and placed new pieces onto the table, including the coat of arms of the Vale monarchs and the Vale council. "Hopefully they don't start anything while the Fang is still around."

Grimoire then placed several dozen smaller pieces onto the table and placed a majority of them into Beacon while other were at the other kingdom's school. "Now then, let us discuss the operations we will be offering to the hunters in training and fully trained hunters." One of the officers from Mountain Glenn perked up. "Sir, my Baron and myself have been trying to secure Mountain Glenn and have recently made massive advances, maybe a few teams and hunters could go there for a bit to both learn more about us and hone their skills against the grimm." Grimoire clapped. "That can work and with Beacon in the state it is in right now mayhaps they could move to your hold for awhile so that they may continue to learn while we repair Beacon and maybe even fortify it more." Several of the officers nodded while others from the more outlying Baronies pulled out scrolls and maps of their own regions to see if they could find locations to mark for missions. "Well that should add some options for the students of the schools, especially after they have done the local missions for securing Vale." The group conversed for several more minutes before ending.

Krieg exited the meeting hall and proceeded to the room team JNPR was using in one of the empty housing halls which had been taken over by the Beacon students after their own dorms had been destroyed. He noted how the hall had changed since the beginning of the housing of the hunters in training several weeks ago with the additions of a television, several desks and a mish mash of rather comfortable seating that had been scavenged from the above ground rooms.

He then walked over to the button that was situated at the beginning of the hall where it opened into the main core of Chains Gate and pulled a lever situated there causing a series of panels to flip within the team rooms, calling all present members into the hall for the entire hall of students. The doors seemed to all open in short order as Krieg sat down on one of the tables at the front of the hall, waiting for the students to gather around in a semicircle. He looked back out at the core and could see Ashford doing the same for the upperclassmen halls while Althea dealt with the visiting students. He looked back to see that most of the students had gathered before him, moving the chairs and tables around so that everyone could sit around him as they had done when he had first helped move them in.

"Good morning all, how is your day today?" The students gave their impressions on how their day has been for the exception of a few who were further back in the group. "Good, well I have an announcement from the boss man, we have missions and they're rather easy in my own opinion." The students spoke among themselves for a moment and he could see Ruby and Jaune whispering adamantly to his right. "These missions will double as support for getting the visiting students back to their schools since conventional transport lanes are rather, hectic." Some students nodded since they had seen the massive traffic jam caused by large groups of nevermores still prowling the sky around Vale.

"The other kingdoms are over seas and even the closest one would bring us to areas considered deathtraps, why offer us these missions?" Cardin had made a point and several other students began to think on that statement as well. "You are correct, , We cannot walk all the way to the other kingdoms, but unlike the kingdoms we vampyres have our own outposts close enough to Vale and far enough away that we could use those Baronies to transport the students." The room was silent for a moment before the students began asking numerous questions, sans RWBY and JNPR. "Quiet please, I will explain, thank you."

Krieg pulled out his scroll and switched the television on the wall on, showing a map of the world of Remnant, which then added the locations of the kingdoms and then a mass spattering of similar colored regions were filled up around them. "The lordships of the Vampyric realm, Chains Gate, Stones Grove, Hellgate, and Oasis are all centered nearby or in the capitals of the Kingdoms." He walked over to the screen and gestured to it. "But as the kings and Lords in the past had Vassals, our lords and lady have Barons and Baronesses to rule stretches of wilderness outside of the kingdom to ensure that nothing vary catastrophic occurs." He then pointed to a forest green stretch of land just outside of Vales border. "This is Caldam, the Barony ruled by Baron Symon Valdam and his sworn fellows who maintain a small airpad their, which we will use to load several long distance airships with the students and their teachers and send them home safely, any questions?" Several hands rose. "Also it had better not be about snacks or food." The hands fell. "Also to whomever drew a flamboyantly pink mustache on the armory doors we are aware that you're an artist, we just want our paint back."

"On that note, I will send your team leaders the roster for who will be heading the first years in this operation, also this will count towards your yearly credits due to classes being… postponed." He then stood and walked back to his office where he then sat at his desk and pulled up the roster on his desk computer showing the order of command for the operation. He was happy that he had been granted that much of permission on the operation and even if he was not the one in command of it he would have been just as pleased if he had been sent with the students.

At the top of the roster was the picture of the still scraggly looking Jaune Arc who had shown himself to be an excellent director of forces during the battle of Beacon and even in events after. One such event was the securing of one of the few routes up to Beacon's plateau from Grimm forces and he did such by organizing the first year teams as much as he could into a battering ram of sorts which upon contact with the grimm was able to continue combat with little in the ways of casualties. Now that passage was secured with a blockade of stone that he had had thrown up after the battle until proper fortifications could be put in by the builders who were coming from Vale, slowly. He smiled as he began assigning units of Vampyres to the expedition and as he had notified Jaune earlier he would be leading a band of Vampyres whom had been shaved down in numbers recently due to losses fighting the Grimm. He sighed, cracked his knuckles and then began emailing the roster out to the students.

Grimoire hated politics. Did he see them as necessary? Yes. Did he enjoy them? Only when he was able to poke fun into it, which was not the case currently with the Vale Council which had been substantially built up to somewhere near their number of representatives from before the Battle of Beacon. "Lord Grimoire. We have decided that we should be allowed to run our Kingdom again since you have _oh so graciously_ assisted in reconstructing it." Spoke one councilman who had been pushing for the surviving councilmen from the Vale attack to be put in prison for their apparent lack of competence.

"Cut to the chase _boy_ what do you want?" The man smirked and stood up as well as several councilmen while others remained seated. "We humbly request that your remove your forces from Vale territory, that includes your little fortress." Grimoire leaned back planting both feet on the table as he groaned.

"I've heard that line before from a king, he died within the week, do you want to make yourself a _King_ boy?" The man gawked and leaned forwards. "You threaten us? The council of Vale!? We ask only that you and your forces leave Vale." Grimoire chuckled as he leaned forward smiling wide and revealing his fangs. The councilmen at the wings of the gathering began to call for the leader of the council to step down much to his own surprise. "Why kick them out!? They saved us! They are as Valean as the rest of us Councilman Forræder, why would you want to remove the one military force that will willingly protect us?" The man who spoke was wiry, with long limbs and a mop of brown hair that was pushed back into chocolate waves,this man was Councilman Peatman who stood and walked to the floor of the meeting hall. He continued his rant against the other councilman, whose support at the beginning of the hearing gradually began to sit down or leave the room altogether much to the horror of Forræder.

Forræder seemed to seethe for a moment before retracting his statement and sitting. Grimoire then decided it was time for him to speak, he stood, giving no emotion whatsoever to the onlookers as he walked to the center of the room passing Peatman as he returned to his own seat. Grimoire's face was stony, his shoulders were squared, hands behind his back and jaw set as he stood before the council of Vale. "I have an announcement to make to the Council." The room seemed to quiet to a hush as the lord retrieved a vellum scroll from one of the pouches that hung from his belt.

"I, Lord Grimoire Rose, the first of that name, Lord in Vale and Lord of Chains Gate, do hereby secede my regency over the Vale council back unto said Council so that they may judge their kingdom within their own devices with both Justice, Prosperity and Equality." The council rose with applause including a stunned Council Forræder who seemed rather confused but still pleased with the declaration. After his resigning as regent of Vale Grimoire decided to return to Beacon to have a drink and conversation that he had been looking forward too.

The depths of Chains Gate went far below the surface, and though the primary installation is directly below Beacon the original halls are farther off, sealed behind old doors and reserved as the dungeon section of the ancient Citadel, serving as the holding cell for both mortal and immortal foes who were captured and deemed too dangerous to release. This is where Adam Taurus found himself, sleeping on a stone slab and served a simple meal and water to feed him during his captivity. He stared at the stumps that had been his hands, he was going to cleanse the world of the humans with those hands! But it was not to be for it had been his former friends father who had cut that dream to ribbons, and he was sitting right in front of him.

"Tell me Adam, was it worth it? Do you even know how many you have sentenced to death? Do you!?" Ashford Belladonna, once he had been a principal member in the Old Fang but had allegedly died during a protest due to gunfire.

"Adam, the members of the White Fang, YOU'RE White Fang, are all going to be slain, It is by the law of Vampyres that you have killed them, so please Adam, Tell me why." The cat faunus appeared sad, with drooping eyes and a slouched back he appeared to have been broken by what Adam had caused, but there was more, an inner fire of hatred and anger, and it was all for him.

"I did it so they would feel the same pain we have for centuries!" Ashford seemed to think on Adam's response for a minute before shaking his head with a look of disappointment. "Then you would cause our people more pain you fanatic fool." Ashford stood and left, walking down the hall and towards where there was a mass of activity as both Vampyres, Hunters and Hunters in training prepared for the march to Caldam, the small keep that played host to a single air pad and accompanying bullhead.

He saw Jaune Arc, the young man was still as awkwerd as ever but he also seemed to carry himself with a tad more confidence as he also appeared to be far stronger than he had formerly been, it also appeared to Ashford that the young Arc had taken to wearing a fuller set of armor around as well as carrying a dagger at his belt. The rest of team JNPR had taken a similar approach with the addition of some armor and daggers that were placed similarly to the one at Jaune's belt. He then saw that Jaune was speaking with several other team leaders as he pointed at a map and then to a chart that had what appeared to be a marching order scratched onto it.

Ashford was not surprised to see team RWBY on the scene even with the injuries that Blake and Yang had taken during their fight with Adam. Ashford knew that team RWBY was likely just there to help with the preparations since Grimoire, Althea, Ozpin and Krieg had agreed that they need to recover from the damages that Adam had caused to half of their team. Both Blake and Yang had made good recoveries and they were even training together to attempt to get Yang used to using one arm until an alternative is found, which had lead to a great many more holes forming in the walls of the training hall where they and other warriors both Huntsman and Vampyric trained.

He spotted Krieg talking to some of the teachers and Hunters who would be going on the mission as well so they could both get back to their respective kingdoms and learn about the Vampyres more respectively. " Krieg, how is the briefing going?" Krieg looked over to Ashford as the Hunters and Teachers left to join their students. "It's going well, Arc has proven himself to be capable of planning out a proper marching order, also all of the hunters and teachers accompanying us wish to add Caldam to their maps so that others may use it as a way station on long patrols."

Caldam Castle, a small keep with a stone curtain wall around it with living quarters, farms, generators and even a pair of workshops housed within its walls. Around this keep was the thick Forest valley that had given the castle its name as well as supplying the Grimm needed for the serums of immortality that substituted for human and Faunus blood. The small keep doubled as a way station for Vampyres on hunts as they would be gone for months at a time hunting for Grimm to fight and devour so that they may feed the baronies and lordships. Sharing this map informati

on would be a turning point for the hunters of Remnant as it would provide somewhere to escape to in case of a failure.

"I'll allow it, but you will have to get them to convince both the Baron and Grimoire if you want to have that information." Krieg nodded and turned back to the teachers and hunters who were waiting with the students. He then watched as a commotion broke out in the student ranks as Jaune was taken aside by Ozpin and a young man who was rather short and scraggly with light brown hair and blue eyes that peered through everything from beneath a kettle helm and over a scarf wrapped tightly around his face over a shirt of chainmail that covered a leather jerkin that was colored a gold at the edges and white laced into the stitching. He watched as Ozpin and team JNPR vanished into the repaired tower with the unknown figure and thought aloud to himself. "Such a fascinating class we have here."

 **So that's all for this time folks! Life is back in swing and I have already failed at something but fear not for I will soon be re writing the opening chapters of this fic to attract more readers!**

 **See you all later my hundred or so readers peace!**

 **-LP**


	25. Plans and Relatives

**We are back, now let's find out who the new guy is shall we?**

 **RWBY belongs to rooster teeth and Monty Oum I only own the characters.**

Jaune had felt many things since the attack on Vale, he had felt anger, love, worry and a brief bliss. He had felt these emotions alongside family in the past as well with his sisters, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins including Tristram who had been born a year after his own birth to his uncle Thaddeus. Tram as his family called him had been born with a light brown head of hair and light blue sapphire like eyes that shone in the sunlight.

Tristram was not like most of the family who preferred close combat in favor of other weapons as Tristram had taken more to using a bow and arrow and then also a dust steel Axe that he used in close quarters. The attire he wore was traditional as instead of wearing plates of steel he instead wore a leather jerkin under a scale mail shirt that had a mottled green and brown tabard with the Arc insignia on the breast in the same colors as the tabard assisting the young Arc with his rather stealthy combat style. Tristram also had the tendency to wear a kettle helm in favor of the normal helmets the family tended to use. To negate the shining of the helm he had painted it black and green with faint gold linings along the edges.

Jaune remembered how he and Tristram would have to watch their younger siblings, usually with little to no help and even though Tristram was quieter than anyone else in the family he did manage to wrangle the calmer children from the pack while Jaune would be the one who coaxed his energetic sisters from wherever they hid, usually having to promise sweets and the like to lure them out to where they hid. The last time he had seen him he had been giving him a copy of the Beacon application forms since he himself could easily fool the system. Now his cousin, stood in front of him, his face covered by a veil of green cloth. Tristram stepped forward, swaying for a moment as he came closer. "Jaune, It is good to see you again." Jaune stepped forward and embraced his shorter cousin as Tristram advanced to do the same. "You've grown! Good to see that." Tristram nodded while removing his helm revealing a cut cheek and black eye that squeezed shut around his sapphire like eye. Jaune shook his head as he inspected his younger cousin,grabbing him by the chin and turning his face so that he inspect the damage.

"Of course I go away for a couple of months for Beacon and you have somehow cut yourself up, I swear you and Jan could be twins." Tristram smiled as Jaune went to fetch a first aid kit leaving Tristram with the rest of a very curious team JNPR. "Hello, I am Tristram Arc, Jaune's cousin, you're the members of his team right?" Pyrrha smiled and stepped forward. "Yes we are, I am his partner, Pyrrha Nikos, this is Lie Ren and-" She was interrupted as Nora jumped over her and landed in a pose in between the two. "NORA VALKYRIE!" Tristrem seemed to not be fazed by Nora's antics as he shook her hand.

Jaune returned with the first aid kit and pulled out a sewing kit first. "Tris can you please take off your armor? I need to sew the wounds shut." Tristram immediately removed the armor, neatly piling it at the foot of the bed before allowing Jaune to begin stitching a long incision that marred down his right arm. "How did you even get these?" Tristram seemed to hesitate for a moment before Jaune looked up from his work with a stern gaze upon his face. "I was fighting a group of White Fang." Jaune sighed and shook his head.

"And how did that come about?" Tristram seemed to stop for a moment before a blush came about his face. "Tristram?" The blush increased though his face portrayed nothing other than a blank slate. The young man remained silent as his cousin shook his head and continued his work, stitching together the flesh and cleaning the wounds as he went. The rest of the team decided to turn the conversation more onto Tristram's weapons and armor as to distract him from whatever happened on the way to Vale.

"So why two weapons and no mechashifting? It seems rather encumbering." Pyrrha's question kicked off the conversation. "Oh these? I use them since I believe it would be easier to repair instead of having to change everything do to one component breaking, that and I believe that it is much better than relying on one weapon that could some day break and leave you defenceless."

Pyrrha nodded as he brought out both weapons showing them off to team JNPR while also causing Jaune to nag at him to stay still for the stitches. "What about your armor? How do you move quickly while in it?" Nora questioned as she picked up the veiled kettle helm. "It's comprised of a gambeson, then chainmail, then the tabard after which I have my gauntlets and bracers as well as vambraces. The helm is actually the part I need the most since it keeps my skull from being crushed in a fight." Nora nodded and then tried to put the helm on, only for her to pull it off immediately. "That's a tight fit." she stated as she put it down. "Sorry, my heads a bit smaller by the looks of it. Maybe I could make more helmets here." Ren appeared to move forward to ask his own question only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

Ren walked to the door and opened it revealing Grimoire who had a curious look on his face as he stood in the doorway. "I heard we have a guest?" Ren nodded as he stepped back allowing Grimoire into the room. Jaune stood from his seat to greet the lord as he entered while introducing him to his cousin. "So you just arrived? Rather strange but we can't do anything about that. I came primarily to ask team JNPR if they were ready for the mission since it will begin soon." Jaune seemed to think for a moment before he had an idea. "Tristram, you wouldn't mind staying here for a few days while my team and I are on this mission will you?" Tristram shook his head. "I don't mind, I'll just have to occupy my time."

Jaune turned to Grimoire while picking up his pack and sword. "Then I believe we are ready, Grimoire I believe you can assist my cousin in finding everything?" Grimoire chuckled.

"I'll just stick him in the end room, its not occupied by anyone and he can just stick around team RWBY since I will be doing work with them for a few days within Chains Gate." The Lord of Chains Gate walked out of the room gesturing for team JNPR to follow.

As the team walked out of Chains Gate with Tristram in tow towards the gathering band of hunters in training, teachers and fully trained hunters with a fair amount of Vampyres mixed into the group with their now armor being downgraded to leather and chainmail that covered everything but they're heads which had half helms covering them with a padded coif as well.

The Ashford, the Arch Baron of Chains Gate and head of the Vampyric forces spotted team JNPR first. "Alright lads! Form ranks and prepare to march!" Grimoire stopped and faced Jaune before pulling out a rolled piece of fabric and handed it to the knight and put a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "A knight should always carry his banner on him." He then patted Jaune on the back and sent him off.

"Good luck Mr. Arc, Happy hunting." With that, Jaune walked forwards with the band of students and Vampyres from the four kingdoms following him towards the wilderness of Vale.

Ruby watched the ground whip by below her as she was flung across the room. She saw her uncle Qrow on the other side of the room with a smirk painting his face as he faced towards her with his sword leaned on his shoulder. He held out a hand and gestured for her to try again as she skidded to a halt on the stone floor with sparks flying from where her boots had dug into the stone leaving her boots a burning red that she could feel warming her feet.

She smiled and launched towards him but instead of slashing at her uncle with Crescent Rose she locked the scythe and sword together before drawing her short sword and holding it to her uncle's neck. Qrow looked at the blade for a moment before chuckling and kicking out at her legs with his feet managing to knock her off balance enough to get out of the blade lock she had forced him into. "Your getting better, but you still have a lot to learn." Ruby smiled slightly as she sheathed her short sword while circling him.

She saw Weiss circling him from the other side as well but as she expected Blake and Yang had vanished easily enough from Qrow's line of sight leaving him guessing where they could be coming from. "You are the one who trained me Uncle Qrow." She saw Blake and Yang standing on the rafters, prepared for their ambush as Ruby set her sights on Qrow with determination flaring within her. "Iceflower!" She and Weiss struck forwards forcing Qrow to leap up as Blake and Yang leapt down, with both of them firing their weapons as they fell towards the Hunter. With Yang's single gauntlet and Blake's pistol riddling Qrow's aura with pockmarks.

Qrow reacted quickly swinging his sword up while shifting it into it's scythe form bringing his blade a hairs width to the legs of the bumblebee pair as the iceflower pair flew up at him firing rounds of dust at him as they used Weiss's glyphs to soar higher until they were beside him on either side, chipping away his aura as Yang and Blake's bullets riddled his head and shoulders.

Qrow smirked as his eye flashed, swinging his sword in a wide arc he managed to knock both Blake and Yang out of the ring before he swung downwards parrying Weiss's thrust at him from below. He began to fall back towards the arena floor as he continued to fight off the hailstorm of strikes that Ruby and Weiss were pelting him with. The glow of the scoreboard showed Team RWBY on one side and Qrow on the other, the portraits of Yang and Blake were crossed out while Qrow's aura had fallen into the yellow while Ruby and Weiss's were bordering orange.

"You feel like giving up kid?" Ruby smirked as she and Weiss landed across from Qrow and spared a look at the board before responding.

"Never ya old man!" She responded with a grin on her face as she used her semblance to shoot forward with a flurry of blows with both Cresent Rose and her short sword. Weiss had used this opportunity to use her semblance to summon an arm of her knight to stab at Qrow from above, resulting in the old hunter being launched out of the ring to his shock.

"Round End." Droned a metallic voice from the speakers in the arena. Qrow stumbled to his feet and saw that by the end of the match he was only a sliver farther into the yellow than Ruby was much to his inner anguish. "You win this round squirt, so what's the cost for losing?" Ruby smirked as she remembered the bet she and Qrow had made with if she won she could demand whatever she and her team desired while if Qrow won Ruby would have to swear off of sweets for three full months.

Ruby thought for a moment as she bounced on her feet. "What do we want, team?" Team RWBY huddled together and began to whisper among themselves with Qrow looking on until a hand pats his shoulder.

"Thorn and I would have these gambling matches whenever we went to battle, if we won he would decide what to do with the spoils if we lost I chose where to run to, we switched with every battle." Qrow stood up as Grimoire finished speaking. Qrow stretched then cracked his neck.

"They aren't the children they were when they first came to Beacon, are they?" Qrow asked his smile seemed to crack a bit at the edge, before he felt the sharp spike of pain on his back accompanied by a loud smack. "Not anymore, but you'll always be their dusty uncle Qrow, won't ya?" Qrow chuckled. "I guess." Ruby finally turned back around and stepped forward. "Upon much discussion team RWBY has decided that you Qrow Branwen will be banned from drinking for!" She stopped for a dramatic pause . "One week!"

Qrow blinked then reached into his coat only to feel nothing where his flask would be, he began patting himself down until he saw Ruby holding it in one hand and shaking it back and forward. "Na ah ah! No booze for you!"

Qrow then threw his head back and dramatically cried out. "My booze! NOOOOOOOOO!" Grimoire shook as he tried to stifle his laughter from breaking into a mad cackling as Qrow continued to comically beg Ruby to reconsider.

"Oh boy, have fun kids, don't stress the poor old bird out to much." Grimoire stumbled into the corridor outside of the arena and cackled for a solid minute as he continued to walk towards the war room where he knew Althea and Krieg were discussing operations that would be done to find Cinder and her compatriots.

Grimoire knew that at the end of the war he should have followed up his leads, he should have killed off the last embers of a possible retaliation, he failed in his duty as a lord. He swore to not fail again. He arrived in the war room and sat between Althea and Krieg with the rest of his retinue minus Ashford who had volunteered to head the Vampyric forces that would escort the foreign students to Caldam castle which had a functioning air terminal. "Alright, let's start, what's going on at this moment?"

Althea was the first to speak, "Reports from Atlas and Stones Grove are so far positive with the White Fang being placated by my subordinates there." Grimoire raised an eyebrow, he and everyone else knew that the Atlesian White Fang was stubborn to the point of madness but to hear that they had bent easily? That was a question upon itself.

One of the minor Barons raised his palm as his bushy eyebrows seemed to furrow into a wriggling cattapillar atop his brow. "And how did your subordinates do that Lady Althea?" Althea grinned at the question.

"Oh you know, some old horror stories, images of tortured white fang members, even the promise of being protected from being forced into the dust mines again, and here we are now, with a rather shaken but placated group of ex white fang warriors who would rather live under our banner than the kingdoms." Grimoire scratched his jaw, tugging slightly on the growing hairs that had made a home across it as he thought of the repercussions. "Is Ironwood aware?"

Althea's smile seemed to widen further. "He approved of it and even told the Atlas council to go with it, He is planning on dealing with the cause of the White Fang eventually, he and his supporters just need a little hmm push upward." Grimoire smirked. "That's a relief, Though if the first plan fails we do have an alliance with the current Schnee heiress and her elder sister." Althea nodded as the Barons and Baronesses around the room murmured in agreement. "Now then, What of our allies in Vaccuo and Minstrel? Last I heard they were unable to travel here due to issues within their own borders."

The single Baron who had come from Vaccuo stood. "Indeed Lord Grimoire, I and my fellow Barons and Baronesses were greatly saddened when we had to turn back from our march, though it was with good reason as the Grimm in Vaccuo have begun to assault the settlements outside of Vaccuo itself with a great amount of Vigor and we have yet to break their stride." The other barons and baronesses broke into an uproar, many were requesting permission to march to Vaccuo while others were simply stating how ludicrous it was.

He knew that Vaccuo, given time would repel the invaders but that was not what concerned him. "Where are the representatives from Minstrel and Menagerie?" The room seemed to lose all voice as the Barons looked among themselves searching for the pair of missing comrades.

"The reports I have been receiving from my new agents has made me aware that currently the White Fang Vampyres are invading those regions at heavy cost to themselves." Grimoire looked up at Wolfram, who was sitting cross legged in an alcove above them. "My little spies have also found that the White Fang is going through a bloodbath of a civil conflict between the mortals and Vampyres with the conflict leaning towards the mortals. Though that is mainly due to numbers and experience."

The hall seemed to fill with talk of letting the conflict go on in Minstrel until both groups were destroyed. "What of our comrades? Our brothers and sisters in arm! Would you leave them in the fray alone with foes to every side?" The hall was silenced, many barons seemed to shrink back from the twin gazes of Grimoire and Althea as they watched Krieg berate the whole group.

Grimoire leaned back subtly bringing himself closer to Althea. "How much you want to bet Oz is planning a mission to Minstrel?" Althea thought for a moment before leaning back and responding.

"I'm willing to bet quite a bit on it." Grimoire nodded, completely unaware of her phrasing until he muttered it to himself, at which point he gained a disheveled look of ragged hair and widened eyes.

"H'wat?" Althea winked at him as she leaned forewards again to listen to Krieg as the militaristic Vampyre threw a coffee mug across the table in order to gain the attention of some of the younger Barons.

'Note to self, get gifts for Althea.' Grimoire thought as his skin paled to an almost marble white as he continued to listen to Kriegs plan. "So if you think you will be avoiding this jerkydashing war then you will be horribly HORRIBLY wrong!"

Wolfram sighed as he watched the chaos of the meeting as he listened to Roman's report on Minstrel. "We nearly got them, nearly." Wolfram rubbed his brow as Roman filled him in on his and Neo's latest ambush which resulted as the others had in failure. "Is there anything positive Torchwick?" There was a pause in Roman's end as he seemed to talk to someone else before responding.

"We know all of their strong points within Minstrel. Is that good enough?" Wolfram smirked, it would be perfect. The meeting down below seemed to be petering out with little in the way of any planning going on since Vale, Atlas and Vaccuo had been planned for while Minstrel was the odd one out with no plan.

The only good thing about the conflict in Minstrel was the pure number of fortresses that dotted the valleys and hills that made up the geography of the kingdom. These small fortresses now acted as rallying points where local forces could sally out to inflict casualties on the advancing white fang Vampyres who had begun to raid the local villages and towns for sustenance in the form of both Fauni and Humans regardless of their alignment.

Wolfram dropped down behind Grimoire, surprising a few Barons while others had grown used to his comings and goings. "I have news from my agents. They have found all of the White Fang Vampyre strong points within Minstrel." The Barons seemed to let loose a collective sigh as Grimoire scratched the stubble that had grown upon his chin while Althea nodded with a look of approval.

Grimoire stood, a smirk spreading across his face. "My friends, comrades I believe that we now have the means to organize the campaign for the foreseeable future against the White Fang and Cinder Fall's forces." The hall was filled with shouts of approval as the Barons began to think of plans ranging from the basic 'Hit it with my sword' to the far more complex plan of strong point jumping in Minstrel and sweeping operations in Vaccuo.

Grimoire set his mind to working out the plans as in the back of his mind he wondered what the Vale council would think of his actions. He knew the monarch supporters and the monarchs themselves would throw both supplies and manpower into the operation if they heard about it while the Vale council in all of it's 'wisdom' would try to condemn it even at the risk of being alienated by all of the other kingdoms or worse, invaded and replaced by the monarch supporters who would at the time be a rather good choice for Vale's current predicament, but he wouldn't worry about the future, at least not while some good news was here. Grimoire smirked as he smelled the familliar scent of caffeine as the Headmaster of Beacon entered the room. "So Oz, what do you make of this?"

 **Please Review**

 **Cliffhanger bullshittery is fun.**

 **It's been Awhile I know and I will try to increase the uploading amount if I can but until then I am sorry to say that I will not be able to keep up a consistent schedule. I also want to know what you all think on the story and if you have any theories on where it is going, is so the review box is a great place to debate.**

 **In further news I am looking for people who would like to Beta my work since my current Beta is sick in a rather headache ing way.**

 **Until next time**

 **-LP**


	26. The Caldam push

**I HAVE RETURNED!**

 **The usual applies, I own nothing RWBY is property of Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum**

 **Also to all of you, any suggestions? Or if anything any opinions on how the story is going?**

 **I'll see you at the bottom.**

Ozpin strolled across the room , a steaming mug of coffee in hand as he approached the table. One baron stood and walked to the offside of the table allowing the headmaster of Beacon a seat at the table.

Grimoire nodded to the man in greeting as Althea smiled. "Evening Oz, what might we owe this visit to?"

Ozpin shook his head as he placed his coffee on the table. "Cinder is not the leader of our foes, she is simply another lackey to a greater threat, one that threatens to overwhelm the kingdoms and snuff out civilization."

"Figured that, the grimm were avoiding attacking the fangers as much as possible during the battle though that didn't stop a few of em." The table seemed to rise to murmuring for a solid few minutes as the barons theorized about the occurrences before they hushed themselves.

Althea rapped her knuckles on the table leaning forward as she did so. "So this means there is a playing moving their pieces? Interesting. We will have to strain our ears lads, especially since this will be the first challenge in a while that needs some more… quiet approaches." The Barons agreement was unanimous, Althea being the head authority on intelligence gathering and operations that would have to be off the book meant that she was probably going to take control of the intelligence network regardless so that they could connect whatever needed connecting.

The conversations continued with various barons putting forward information with Ozpin occasionally interjecting information that assisted in filling in blanks that the Vampyres did not have on hand until they had made a rather solid intelligence map of Remnant with various contacts spread around the world, a majority of which were hiding out in the mess that was Mistrel.

"So it's decided. When the school is repaired I will depart for Mistral, who knows maybe there will be some people who will join me in that but I want you all to focus on Vacuo so they can join in on this." The room was quiet for a moment as those assembled thought on what the meaning of the Lord in Vale leaving Vale to go to Mistral. They knew as well as he what was at stake and if the information they had was solid then Mistral, however corrupt it's peoples were was still a place of humanity and was due for some protection and as such would need more people to go there and help with it's ongoing war against the corrupted Fang. So with the final notes of the meeting concluded the Barons as though they were one stood and exited the room, going their separate ways to either their own lands or to some other places leaving only two people in the meeting hall after Althea had departed to check on her own vassals.

Grimoire and Ozpin sat at opposite ends of the table with Ozpin leisurely drinking his coffee as Grimoire idly sharpened his boot knife. "So, anything you want to add Professor?" Ozpin seemed to scoff slightly before leaning forward. "Autumn is gone, someone took her from her pod while we were distracted with recovering from the attack." Grimoire pursed his lips before standing.

"Well then, what's our move, chessmaster? What do we do now? We lost our maiden. So where are the others?" Ozpin seemed to think for a moment. "We can't tell anyone about the maidens, no one other than those who already know." Grimoire sighed leaning against the table.

"Well shit on a stick, Vampyres are not secret anymore and that will mean people will be watching from all the angles just to find out what we do, I can't move on this subject not anymore, but your hunters in training? They can go anywhere, and we both know where the whispers are leading us."

Ozpin nodded. "I see, you want me to send my people to Mistral, to counter this threat?"

Grimoire nodded. "I can deal with Vacuo, that would be acceptable to the eyes of those who are watching especially our more talkative observers."

The two men stood in the room a minute longer thinking in the silence. "This will come to a head, I feel it, we just need to be ready for it." The two men stood and exited the room going their separate ways, with the headmaster to his command and the lord back to his weapon and armor for another war.

Jaune was bored for a majority of the march, and it wasn't for not trying to do anything either. He had been tasked by Ashford to screen the column with his team and had done such keeping good pace for the two days they were separated until they entered the foothills on the third day that forced them to regroup with the column as they approached Caldam which they could already see do to the small group of airships that hung over the distant hill.

He knew they would probably have to fight their way into the fortress since it was under siege by grimm that had flooded over the border from Vacuo but other than that the mission should go as planned. He turned towards Ashford who was talking to his officers as they marched. " ? I think we should form a vanguard ahead of us to clear a path for the rest of the column." Ashford turned to look at the hunter and after a moment nodded.

"Grand idea, how about a group of our lads and a team of hunters?" Ashford responded. Jaune knew that it would be preferable to have both groups contribute to the push so he nodded and went to talk to the team leaders about the plan.

He encountered Sun first, which immediately got him one team on board as Sun was more than happy to drill his team in some Vanguard like maneuvers [regardless on how 'improvised' they were]. Sun had actually gone to Jaune and Ruby respectively on several occasions to ask about team formations and the like and had ended up talking to Jaune more since Ruby was busy with Vampyre business that required her attention.

After his briefing with Sun, Jaune went and spoke to each team leader, picking up most of Vale teams as volunteers as he went. Then he came to team CRDL, his and Cardin's agreement still stood and since the appearance of the Vampyres he hadn't seen much of the bully or his team.

" ." Short, professional, and straight to the point just as Krieg had taught him during his impromptu leadership classes.

Cardin looked over to Jaune and nodded. "Jauney Boy? What's up?" Alright time to get down to it.

"Hey, I'm gathering a group to act as the Vanguard and I was wondering if you and your team were-" Cardin held up a hand while pinching his nose. "You can say no if you want to stay with the main column." Cardin seemed to be raging at himself mentally so Jaune looked to the rest of team CRDL, only to see them smirking. To this Jaune's eyebrow rose.

"Mind explaining?" Russel smiled as he stepped forward and brought Jaune off to the side.

"We had a bet going, and Cardin just lost since the bet was whether you were going to ask us to help or not, he thought you would be to scared, and now I get to choose sooo I guess we can join the Van, right boss?" Cardin muttered under his breath before straightening out and rolling his shoulders.

"Where should we go?" Jaune smiled as he pat Cardin's shoulder.

"The left is looking barren of any of our teams so how about you go meet up with the Chains Gate troop and make sure that side holds. We will be making the push in a bit." Cardin nodded and gestured for his team to follow as they jogged up through the column to the front.

Jaune returned to his team at the front of the column and waves over to the left and right flanks taken by teams CRDL and SSSN, CFVY respectively. Jaune cleared his mind, first they need to scout out the front so he looks over to his team and gestures forwards. "Shall we?" The group's advance with JNPR holding the center backed up by other Hunter teams and a small band of Vampyres.

They march through woodland for several minutes before first contact is made in a flurry of claws and blades leaving an entire pack of Beowulf's dead in the path. He raised his shield as marched forewards guarding forewards as Pyrrha advanced next to him, he could hear the sound of gunfire and explosions from either side and he see quite clearly where Nora's grenades were landing as he witnessed Ren scouting ahead in the treetops where he was locked in combat with a spider like Grimm that was crawling through the branches lashing out with it's stinger and mandibles as Ren continued to pepper it with fire.

Jaune had little time to worry as he blocked a Beowulf and bashed its arms aside with his shield before planting Crocea Mors into the beasts roaring maw ending its attempt of a roar. He pushed the corpse off of his sword with his booted foot, and advanced forward, keeping pace with the rest of the line as the Vampyres charged past them to act as the tip of the spear and the hunters the shield. Jaune saw the signal that Ashford had told him about, a blue flare, being launched from the base of the mountain and Jaune turned to the other hunters and waved his blade forward. "The way is clear! The way is clear!" The surge of hunters and huntresses along with the others visiting from their respective kingdoms surged forward , shattering through the already mangled grimm lines and reaching the safety of the cliffs of Caldam which were covered in grimm corpses and vigilant sharpshooters who rained down fire upon the grimm horde as it thinned.

Team JNPR reached the gates and turned about as one, facing the oncoming swarm of remaining grimm that were doggedly pursuing the tail end of the hunters as they withdrew into the castle. Jaune checked the flanks of his formation and saw that the platoon that had stayed near them for so long had stuck to their flanks and had prepared themselves with a shield wall. Jaune saw Coco and team CFVY take up positions just inside the doorway, preparing to charge out in case of a new threat.

Those who remained outside seemed to have fallen into a trance as they carved their ways through the Grimm with laughter as they dance. This disturbed Jaune to a degree, especially since they were all Vampyres who were still out there.

"Close the gate." Jaune turned with shock, Ashford had ordered the gate closed? On his own men?! Ashford turned to the hunters in training and shook his head.

"They will return, give them time." And so the gates closed and the students and hunters from the other kingdoms began their exodus to the peak of the mountain to where their way home laid. Jaune said goodbye to those he had befriended and watched each airship leave towards their kingdoms, leaving one lone airship for transport back to Vale.

Jaune mentally prepared himself for the ride back as the Beacon students loaded up onto the airship and Jaune noticed a particular head of brown hair hunched over a trash bin. "Tristrem?" Jaune and team JNPR walked over to see that the young man was indeed Tristrem, granted he was vomiting his guts into the trash bin much to Jaunes expectations.

"Hey Jaune-" The young man dumped his head into the can again vomiting more fluids into the can before shakily getting up and walking away from the airship. "Tristrem." The young man turned a blank look on his face. "Yes?"

"We're going back to Beacon." Tristrem twitched once and fell unconscious standing for a moment before he fell back nearly onto an unsuspecting team CFVY. Coco, simply caught the you young man and held him for a moment in surprise before Jaune picked the boy up and put him over his shoulder.

"Cousin?" Coco asked an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, How'd you know?" Coco smirked and gestured towards the trash bin.

"Very similar opinions on air travel, and weapons, all old fashioned. Tacky even." Jaune nodded in understanding as he attempted to carry Tristrem into the airship only for the exhaustion from the mission to catch up with him and force him to collapse into a seat. The rest of his team took their seats and Pyrrha sat next to Jaune and pat his shoulder a reassuring smile gracing her tired face.

Two days, two days of little sleep, two days of spontaneously fighting Grimm, two days of no showers or freshly made food. The comfort of simply being able to rest on a cushion was almost enough to knock the young Arcc into unconsciousness with his younger cousin. If not for the fact that they were on a gods damned airship.

 **Well I will be honest, not my best work though I do hope you are all enjoying it I will have a new chapter out later have a great election to my US readers and to everyone else, I wish you all a good week.**

 **-LP**


	27. A meeting in Mantle

**Sup peeps you know the drill, RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum**

Grimoire's breath steamed before him as he ran through the snows around Mantle, he was determined if anything to escape the thing that followed him. He knew it was there, beaten bloody and wrathful beyond compare. He had left it with no limbs and a smaller amount of body remaining in the blood soaked snow. But that wouldn't stop a grimm as old as this one no, this grimm he knew, from the Rosewood from home it had followed them and now it stalked him like a prey.

Grimoire had come to Mantle to find something, he did not know what but he had left the other Vampyres in the Capitol so that he could do this himself. Now he was in pain, such horrifying pain and there was little he could do but stumble towards the town.

Eventually he collapsed, blood soaking the snow as his pitch cloak fluttered like a dusted banner in the biting winds, as he felt himself fading he saw a figure in a grey cloak approaching with a sword drawn. Though he lost consciousness before they reached him.

He awoke wrapped in his cloak and a thick worn blanket set before a roaring fireplace. His first reaction is to stay still, someone could have found him and be planning something. He reached for his weapons, his swords and found nothing. He cursed quietly and slowly stood from the cot he was in, revealing that his winter garb had indeed been taken as well as his blood soaked shirt leaving him cold to the elements.

His wounds had closed quickly though they did leave angry red marks curving along his body. He decided it would be best to find his things as he would rather not stay in one place for to long, especially in Mantle with his enemies possibly around every corner.

The room he was in was small, with a small fireplace and a run down cot being the only items in the stone room. 'Prison?' He thought to himself, though this prison would be rather interesting as it actually had a cot instead of some hay or even nothing and it had a fire instead of the open barred windows that let the wind whip at the inmates who were thrashed by the cold.

So he walked towards the one exit, a door made of wood that seemed to rot at its edges stood between him and whatever was on the other side so he decided to do the one thing that came to mind. He roared a wordless battle cry as he rushed through the door and ran down a hallway with only one other door and a doorway at the end of it so he rushed it seeing the light leaking through he ran and as he reached the doorway the door swung open and a black round shape swung out and he felt heat and pain as the hot iron pan was smashed against his face.

"Ow." Grimoire groaned from his place on the floor, his vision blurred from the frying pan to the face.

"Hey, you really should not go charging at people shirtless alright?" He opened his eyes and promptly regretted it as light nearly blinded him from above.

Then he saw her, she was tall, as tall as him but leaner, with a more angular posture than his own, she had eyes that stared through him that were of a most beautiful pair of Grey eyes that watched him with a wisdom that seemed older than the young woman standing over him. The room we were in appeared to be a kitchen/living room with a couch pushed against the opposite wall with a thick quilt draped over it while a stove sat merrily burning logs in the corner of the room funneling smoke up a chimney built into it as a pot of something cooked over the fire.

A crash interrupted my thoughts and with one exchange of looks we both nodded as the young woman retrieved a sword from the closet and threw Grimoire his own.

"Don't wreck my house alright?" Grimoire smiled back at her as he drew out the thinner blade of Ragnarok positioning the thicker blade against the wall. "I'll try."

The door rattled as the sound of growls and barking filled the air. It was the beast I had failed to kill. "Away from the door." She looked at him as though he were crazy before he launched forward and knocked her away from the door as it imploded inwards.

Standing there in the wreckage of the doorway was a massive beowulf, missing half of it's mask, otherwise, revealing a twisted mess of red and black it looked as though it had developed some rather over strengthened arms as they seemed to be massive in comparison to it's legs. "Grendel." The woman had said it which surprised me. "You're acquainted?" She nodded as she took up a fighting stance beside Grimoire.

"Let us destroy this beast." She shot forward and slashed, fire dust scorched the creature as it advanced only stopping as Grimoire struck from the woman's left covering her weak side. "Thank you." She stated as she launched a series of slashes before hacking downwards at the creature's arm, severing it entirely as Grimoire lashed forward with his sword and severed the beasts left leg.

The two warriors stared as the beast's limbs began to regrow before a large scythe flew into the room and speared the beast in twain before setting it alight. Grimoire and the woman stood there for a moment before Grimoire looked up at Thorn who stood in the doorway with a smirk on his face. "Did I miss something?" Grimoire felt his cheeks turn red as he looked at the woman.

"Do you know where my clothes are?" The woman smirked as she went back to the closet and picked out the wool shirt and coat.

"You should wear something thicker. Or at least something warmer if you're hunting stuff like this up here." The woman stated with a smile as she watched him change into his clothes, gesturing to the now blackened floor where the Grimm had been burned to death.

"Are you worried bout lil old me? I'm touched! I'll try to wear something warm, granted your house doesn't look warm anymore." Grimoire smirked at her.

"I guess if you were that worried about me you could join us, this shack won't last the winter that's for sure. By the way, names Grimoire and this is my older brother Thorn." The woman smiled.

"I'd be glad to, my name is Althea, I'm happy to join you." The two smiled as they shook hands while Thorn watched with an amused smirk.

 **This is one of the four chapter Arc of Grimoire meeting his companions during the war. Also feel free to review and all that so have a good day folks!**


	28. The Most Noble Lord in Mistrel

**I'm back! RWBY Belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, Enjoy the content!**

Witley knew what his father thought of Lady Althea, along with the rest of her kind. _They are nothing but monsters using their power to take over, it's absurd!_ If only his father would agree with him, the Vampyres were the only power that held sway over the peoples of Remnant, councils be damned, and he wanted power, not from usurping Weiss's like had planned but by finding a position of his own. Something that had enraged his father to the point of disowning him.

Now he sat in a waiting room at Atlas academy, waiting. He hadn't spoken to Winter in ages and he did want to do something at this point. Any position has power, regardless of how little it is. He was in the midst of thinking of other ways to get power over father when he heard his name being called to the front desk. He stood and walked over to said desk and placed his scroll onto it, the new device had no Schnee markings or any of his father's tracking devices on it.

He was admitted to the military offices where he then followed the instructions to Winters office, he had heard of her return and was hoping to at least gain some form of power to embarrass his father and Winter was already an expert. He found her office and took a minute to prepare himself, it had been years since he had seen Winter and he would need to phrase his situation to Winter before asking her assistance.

His knuckles rapped against the door three times and then he waited for her response.

"Come in." Her voice was smooth, calm, professional.

He opened the door after smoothing his hair one last time, trying to look at least a tad presentable. Winters first reaction was surprising to say the least, she shot out of her chair at seeing his state and looked shocked.

"Whitley? What happened? Was the manor attacked?" He shook his head and set his bag down beside the door before moving forward and decided to bite the bullet off the bat.

"Father's disowned me, we had a disagreement regarding the current powers and who we should support, to say the least I believe I will make my own way from here on out." He realized he was shaking, why was he shaking? He couldn't show weakness! Not here.

"I see, you look like someone tried to put you into a meat grinder." Whitely nodded.

"A tumble or two, not easy getting up those stairs when you're carrying your livelihood on your back." He opened his bag, a duffle bag, and pulled out his notes on the goings on of the upper class in Atlas. "I am looking for a job regarding the upper class and their behavior, preferably a position that would grant me enough power to eventually face father, maybe support Weiss in her efforts to spur him."

Winter smiled at her brother, patting his shoulder as she sat him down on a chair she had across from her own. She knew someone who would greatly appreciate having a mind like Whiteley's around, especially with the current issues transpiring.

"I believe I know a person or two, they are looking for people to fill their political ranks seeing as how they have not participated in high society for quite some time." Whiteley's eyes widened in shock.

"You mean?" Winter nodded as she set a cup of tea down before Whitely.

"I'm going back to Vale with troops to reinforce General Ironwood, no robots seeing as how they have an exploitable weakness, the people I want you to meet will be there, and you can see Weiss and bond with her over your now mutual distrust of Father." Whitely nodded, calming down slightly as he sipped his tea, wondering just what Weiss was planning, or even what she was doing.

LINE BREAK

Grimoire stood at the precipice, he had hunted Cinder this far and he knew she was here in this ruined town full of corpses and Grimm. He knew he had one shot at bloodying her at least and gaining time for his allies to do what is needed for Vacuo to last in it's stand against the Grimm.

The White Fang had made a fallback shelter, granted it was well hidden against hunters and their ilk but not the Vampyres. The shelter was a village of multiple huts stationed around a central tower that was piggybacking on the CCT system, using it to coordinate resistance against the Vampyre warbands that were hunting them.

He recalled his parting words to Taiyang and Qrow before he had set out. " _There is more to those from Rosewood than you think."_ He had given them a fair few of the old histories of his homeland, where it was what they were good at and what powers they had to defend themselves, including those with silver eyes.

He nodded to himself as he observed the post, a simple patrol of three, and over two dozen more inside the various buildings. They would be easy pickings. He could smell another Vampyre, it reeked of Brutus's scent and as such was the first target on his list.

Grimoire descended onto the camp and found the only Vampyric White Fang member sucking the blood from a white fang grunts wrist between two of the huts. Grimoire shook his head and drew out a dagger before throwing it, sticking the grunt in the back of their neck and causing them to yelp before dropping, the Vampyre was shocked and stood, drawing a broadsword as they looked up at Grimoire. "Hello, prick." Ragnarok sang a dull song as it slammed through the young woman's frame, shattering bones and cleaving meat as he drove the sword through the Vampyre's body, spilling blood like pitch across the ground. "Curious, it's supposed to be red."

Vampyre blood, which is very much like human and Faunus blood with a few changes is usually red, the only exceptions are when Vampyres go Berserk and began slaying everything around them. That blood would usually be crimson of the darker variety.

But black blood? That was certainly new to him. "I should search for answers later." With that he progressed, killing the guards and troopers quietly as he took the base and hiding the bodies as best he could. He found the commander and extracted the access codes for the tower before extracting as much important info as he could before setting a charge of explosives and leaving for one of the smaller nation states near Vale.

He needed to call up the Barons that hid in the sand, of course after he dug them out of the piles of Grimm corpses.

Cinder was missing with her little cronies as well so that was definitely a problem.

LINE BREAK

The forested valleys of Anima are usually peaceful with the only noises being the animals and villages that are nestled into the green hills. They were most definitely _not_ supposed to be on fire, with Vampyres doing battle amongst the trees and around secured villages.

And that is the exact problem that Lord Chrysós of Minstrel was finding with his lands, they were on fire, the white fang was invading, hell the white fang was fighting against local groups of white fang terrorists and that was just adding to the usual confusion of the Mistral upper class faction jockeying that would have been the usual issue if they were even still around. But no, the Fang had killed most of them first and Chrysos had simply decided to step up to the challenge of keeping Mistral together regardless of risk.

The Vampyres of Animus were different from their ilk for two reasons, one: They had many, many more fortresses and holdouts, two: They had the largest Vampyre population seeing as how Animus had the most people. The new wave of violence had caused quite the stir on the continent so Chrysos had done the one thing he could think of at the time, save the people. To do this he had sent his barons out to retrieve the peoples of all nearby settlements and to bring them into the fortresses.

This had been a wise move seeing as how the Vampyric White Fang had no clue how to make draining weapons or how to consume grimm essence which was a massive crippling effect on their morale and combat effectiveness. He had seen it taking a hold of them recently, Vampyric White Fang slaughtering their comrades who had risen in southern Mantle for sustenance and even going as far as feasting upon their mortal comrades in the Fang itself.

Chrysos dragged a hand through his short black hair, moving it away from his eyes. He watched the civilians as they went about their new lives in the capital, which had been held against the White Fang assaults that had killed Mantles Government. He sighed at that, the death of so many powerful men had meant the end of some very important information outlets, though the fact that the southern part of Mantle was fighting like lions against the invasion was news enough of the mutual agreement between his Barons and the crime lords who resided there.

He had been working in this city for quite some time resulting in quite a few issues being brought to the front. One of them was the massive houses that the rich had and even though those upper class hooligans were sharing, (or at least most of them were) with refugees there was still a massive amount of city space not used due to it being upper class property. That had lasted a very short amount of time with Chrysos ordering his men to open them up for defences and housing for his troops.

Some of the upper class took exception to this, until the first assault that wiped out their council, after that they were rather complainant with having soldiers and lower class citizens wandering their halls, working on the defences and maintaining weaponry on balconies, sheltering in their cellars and halls. Haven sat in the distance, it's students returned with messages from Grimoire and Ozpin being carried with them only confirming what his band of Barons had assumed alongside the headmaster of Haven. The Relics, he had always wondered why the Headmasters and Thorn had not told them of the Relics, they could have ended so much of the suffering that the world was going through but no, they were dangerous and as such the Maidens at the time as well as Thorn had decided to hide them, preferably somewhere where the Grimm and those they served could not get to them.

Now Chrysos was waiting for reinforcements, he knew that the Vacuans wouldn't be able to assist due to the Grimm invasion and that Vale's Hunter force was regrouping after getting thrashed in the Battle of Beacon and the subsequent series of counter offensives against the White Fang. Atlas was probably the only standing force with men capable of marching the frontlines and with the Vampyres in Vacuo declaring they could hold with the Hunters those forces from Atlas would be heading for Mistral instead.

A knock at the door roused him from his thoughts as he turned and walked across his office space, which also served as his room seeing as it was once a councilers room before his departure with death. The office in entirety was actually quite large, taking up half of a floor of the administrative building he had only taken the councillors room, converting it into his office as his subordinates worked and rested in the rest of the office.

Chrysos opened the door and saw a short young man with black hair and a freckled face framing a pair of eyes that reminded Chrysos of a pair of Avocados. Oscar had been brought to his people during the opening days of conflict, a stitching of cuts marring his body and bleeding him out as his aunt begged for the Vampyres to do something. Chrysos had done the honors himself as it was his duty as the lord to bring forward new Vampyres into his ranks. Since then Oscar had recovered and proved to be a diligent worker acting as a runner and worker under Chrysos direction.

"M'lord, I have some letters that came with the students from Haven, they have Lord Grimoire and The Headmaster of Beacons Crests on them." Indeed they did, the pair of letters were both sealed with wax, Grimoires grey and a rather dark Green, likely from Ozpin, both wax's were printed with Grimoires ashen Rose and The Tower of Beacon.

"Thank you Oscar, you should get some rest, you look as though you've been working yourself to death." Oscar nodded with a tired smile.

"Will do sir, have a nice day." Oscar closed the door behind him as he left leaving Chrysos smiling slightly, the boy reminded him of his late son who had died with the rest of his family during the war. He then opened to first letter from Grimoire revealing his messy but still legible script.

 _Chrysos,_

 _I hope this letter finds you in good health my friend, Althea and I heard rumors of dark things occurring in Minstrel and nearly charged over ourselves to assist, but you are not the only one under assault, Light Foot got himself stuck in quite the Grimm invasion over in Vaccuo and I am going personally to relieve him while Althea manages Vale's goings on for me, also I have finally found my brothers decendant the last living one, or that is until she was attacked by Brutus the traitorous bastard poisoned her and I had to make her into one of us. Her names Ruby, she has the silver eyes which is a relief and a whole new set of worry which is to not even mention her sister and their team and family. In other news we are looking for people to represent us in the councils after this conflict is over, We here in Vale have chosen Weiss Schnee, Ruby's partner and a friend to Blake Belladonna who is Yang's partner. And before you ask yes Blake is Ashfords daughter which made their reunion quite an interesting thing. I have to go now so I wish you luck my friend._

 _-Sincerely,_

 _Grimoire T. Rose Lord in Vale and Lord of Chains Gate_

 _P.S. Althea says Hi!_

Chrysos nodded as expected Grimoire had written the letter before the invasion had begun and as such had only heard whispers of the conflict that was occurring. He set out a parchment and set his quill and ink down beside it and took his ring from his finger and set it beside the melted wax that sat in a small pot over a fire Dust crystal. He then reached for the second letter and opened that one to begin reading.

 _Dear Lord Chrysos, Lord in Mistral and current regent of Mistral,_

 _I am Ozpin, the current Headmaster at Beacon and this letter is primarily for establishing familiarity and to catch you up on the current situation and who is involved in it. If you recall the war you may recall a woman by the name of Salem who was responsible for the Grimm hordes that swarmed out of the dead continent and struck us from the unknown flank. You might also remember the maidens who vanished at the time, they and several of our best warriors had gone off to fight Salem while the Vampyres under Thorns direction had marched against her brother, you may remember him as the 'Last Slaughter' or something along those lines from the old speech. Salem is not dead and seeks a power far greater than the maidens, she seeks the four relics, and if you remember the religion of two brothers you will also remember how powerful those relics are, they tried to get one here at Beacon and now they aim for Mistral hoping that you will be an easier target, as such I have listed people who you should watch out for below they will likely try to sneak into Mistral before causing any form of havoc._

 _Cinder Fall - Black hair and amber eyes, Stolen Fall maiden powers beware of her might- Priority target_

 _Mercury Black- Grey hair black eyes, Assassin, in Cinder's service has hunter training and was able to nearly beat one of our students through a Vampyre would have an easy time with him._

 _Emerald Sustrai- Illusionist, Green hair and red eyes,Thief, eliminate first to ensure no escape from other parties. Priority Target_

 _I hope that you will be able to prevent their assault._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon and Keeper of Relic_

Chrysos stared at the paper and promptly memorized it before throwing it onto his desk and sitting down. This was a massive predicament, Relics? Being Real? When he was a lad he had never thought of creatures like Vampyres existing but then again Remnant was a world plagued by monsters fueled by Hate and negative emotion so by this point he wasn't surprised.

He now thought of everything he had to do, find a willing representative to the mortal populace, speak with the headmaster of Haven, and ensure the destruction of Cinder and her possy. He already had a pair of persons in mind for the representatives positions and someone from the southern region of Minstrel who was perfectly in mind for slaying cinder for the price of immortality. He then set his quill to parchment and began to write to Grimoire, he'd have to use his old messenger eagle.

 **Hey guys how's it going? As you can see my writing pace is a bit down but I am working on it and will continue to do so, in other news are there any questions about the story? If so PM Me and have a great week folks**

 **-LG**


	29. The Thieving Lord

**RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, author's note at the end of the chapter.**

Althea smirked as she strolled through Beacon's halls, classes had resumed with a heavy influx of missions that had the local Hunters and Vampyres serving as the mentors in the field. Althea herself had gotten the temporary position of 'The History of Vampyres' professor and shared the class with Doctor Oobleck who she had come to acknowledge as an equal in the urge to learn about history. She also heard that Winter would be returning with some 'important' information from Atlas regarding a representative to act upon the Vampyres agenda and to ensure that the foolish council and upper class fools listened when told to do something for their own safety unlike those in Mistral who had not.

She heard the murmurs of students as she walked into the courtyard where so many students had picked as a meeting ground, she saw the Winchester boy talking to Miss Velvet, probably about their earlier interactions in the year. She saw students relaxing under trees talking to each other and even the occasional student who had been 'changed' talking to Vampyres who loitered in the courtyard for their own entertainment.

She saw airships constantly arriving and departing at the now expanded docks as teams of hunters went off to hunt or returned from them with victories and defeats marring and blessing their returns. There were even fully trained hunters who graduated from Beacon in ages past returning to lead students and hunt the tougher queries that lurked in the forested valleys of Vale.

Her scrolled emitted a light song, announcing a message. Althea pondered at said message as she turned to walk back to her office that she had occupied after Grimoire's departure for his 'hunt'. She had expected the eldest granddaughter of Nicholas Schnee to be efficient but not nearly as quick as she had proved in finding a representative. Said candidate sat in a chair across from her's in her office, patiently waiting for Althea as he wrote into a notebook bound in tough brown leather and white string. He noticed her immediately and stood from his seat, placing his notebook into a pack that sat next to his seat.

"Hello, you must be Lady Althea of Atlas, I am Whitely Schnee. I am here since my sister, Winter told me that you needed someone to act as an emissary to the people of Atlas." The young man was certainly taught well but there was one thing that drew a question from Althea.

"A pleasure, though I do have a question before we talk about your employment, are you working for yourself or your father?" Whitely seemed to visibly stiffen as he stood up his face having frozen into a stone face that told her exactly what she needed.

"I see, so an argument I assume?" He nodded as they both sat down in their respective seats.

"He did not want to be a part of the changes happening around him, I did, we had an arguement and I left looking for Winter." She nodded a smile coming to her face.

"Alright, so as an emissary you will be tasked with representing the Vampyric people to the Kingdom of Atlas, which includes the entire population upper and lower class." Whitely had his notebook out again as he wrote down everything she told him and when she stopped he looked up at her with a smile on his face. "When can I start?"

Althea smiled as she sat back. "Not for a time," Whiteley raised an inquisitive eyebrow to this as she sent a message via scroll. "You will be apprenticing for a time under Ashford Belladonna, he has to go to Menagerie to take over as the Baron of Menagerie and reconcile with his wife who's believed he has been dead for so long, the chieftess of Menagerie." Whitely nodded, Belladonna was a name his sister had mentioned both as Weiss's teammate and as the Arch Baron in Vale. "We also need you to see how both ends of the world lives, from the opulent splendor of Atlas to the crowded and squalid realm of Menagerie, you will have to understand everything for an emissary must know much about the people he speaks to." Whitely nodded again scratching notes into his book, if this is the cost of power than so be it he will adapt to this new world and he will thrive and surpass his father.

The screams of a village rose into the air of a chilled night as a small settlement on the border of Vale and Vaccuo as a massive hulking Grimm, standing tall and armored in ancient chainmail with a rusted sword in hand cut down a huntsman, laying the warrior low with a blow to the man's legs and another to his skull spilling blood across the yellow grass.

A pair of figures strolled towards the village, casually slaying minor grimm as they approached. "So Grimi, what have you been up to? Finally get back with Althea with all this commotion?"

Grimoire scanned the village watching as Grimm were fought off by experienced hunters and local warriors. "Things have picked up, that is a certainty." He swung his blade, catching a Beowulf in the side and catapulting it far into the distance.

The smaller figure raised a musket to his shoulder and squeezed the trigger, sending a white hot lance of light towards the towering humanoid grimm taking it's head off at the shoulders and eliciting a cheer from the villages warriors who redoubled their efforts as these two figures strode into combat laying low every Grimm that challenged them.

"So, I heard you found a decendant of your brother's?" Grimoire smirked as he thought of Ruby, the little Rose capable of beating foes with years more experience than herself or anyone in her age group, then again her whole Year of Hunters in Training were miraculous and making progress at that as well. It reminded him of his brothers comrades, so mighty and full of life, ready to defend the Homeland to the bitter end.

"Yeah, I met her under some rather strenuous circumstances but otherwise I think she behaves much like Thorn, hell she even has his hair!" The shorter lord cackled at the image that he was thinking about.

A buggy with several warriors hanging off of it made a circle around the town, smashing into and hacking apart grimm as it drifted over sand dunes and between buildings. "Gotta give your people credit, they know how to show the grimm a good time."

The short lord smirked and fired again with his rifle, slaying a distant Nuckleve that was striding towards the battle. "Well they have been asking for it Grimm, also I heard your guys in Vale have been having a hell of a time maintaining supply lines due to the larger number of Grimm." Grimoire let out a sigh of agitation.

Lord Saran of Vacuo had been a thief once, and then an assassin, he had earned his place in the retinue of Thorn after successfully stealing the Vampyre's sword and dagger from his person, and then casually talking his way out of the whole situation before Thorn inducted him into the retinue and then later after many months of training being named a Lord and assigned to his home kingdom of Vacuo.

"Yeah well, war is war, Saran." The two figures left the village to its victory, wandering further into the wastes that made Vacuo such a hellscape to fight in. They had made it more than twenty miles from the village and right into the cross-hairs of a smirking man who stood on an ever nearing rise, a long brown coat hugging his frame as he smiled at them, addressing them.

"Silver eye, Silver eye! How would you like to die tonight?" Grimoire raised a brow as the figure discarded his coat leaving an ensemble of white. "The Queen demands your eyes!"

"Salem?!" Grimoire drew his blade as the man cackled and rushed down the hill towards them, black hair whipping about him as he leapt at Grimoire a pair of blades appearing from his gauntlets. Grimoire fell back, allowing the wiry figure to soar over him and go crashing down the rest of the hill as Grimoire turned and pursued with Ragnarok drawn.

"Wirey bastard! I've seen you before, you were younger then, and better looking too!" Grimoire swung his blade releasing the clasp for the larger part of the blade and sending a spinning hunk of metal at the scorpion Faunus that had recovered from his miss.

"Oh yes that's right! You saw me slaying those Silver eyes didn't you?" The man's eyes turned purple as he leapt over the blade and lunged at the Lord in Vale, only for a musket shot to ring out across the dunes and smash the assassin into the dune and stunned enough for the thin blade of Ragnarok to pin him to the ground through his shoulder. The stinger on the insane man's tail swung out, and was promptly caught by several twisted limbs of shadow sprouting from Grimoire's back. "So, how about this, Where. Is . Your. Queen?" Grimoire had a vendetta to fulfil, This 'Queen' had been a sibling of sorts to the monster that his brother had been slain by and slew in turn.

"Oh they screamed and pleaded but I refused to listen, I had to kill them all." An Iron fist had smashed Tyrion's teeth across the sand and broken his jaw as well. "Nevermind then, no use asking you questions then, have fun with the grimm." The massive Rose lifted the assassin allowing clawed limbs to twist around his spindly legs and tail, he then pulled, listening to the screams of the madman as he executed for this particular man. "I hope you do not survive this Tyrian, I've been trying to end your line for a long, long time, maybe a Grimm your master favors so much will end you, maybe one of the desert nomad clans either way I hope you suffer you insufferable mad man." Grimoire flung the man over a dune, before retrieving his sheathe blade and rejoined Saram.

"So, wanna talk about name's for the new kingdom?" Saran stared at his friend for a moment before shaking his head. "Sure, yeah why not talk about that just after you slew a servant to one of our greatest enemies?" So the two continued towards Vacuo's capital and to the headquarters of the Vacuan Vampyres that lay in the path of their walk in the sun.

 **Hey guys, It's been a while so this is somewhat of an apology so I hope you're liking the story, I've decided to implement some political information into the story since it has grown into a world spanning story instead of the Vale-centered story. I hope you all like the story and have a good week. -LG**


	30. The Chiefdom of Menagerie

**Welcome to a new Chapter for May shadows guide us, Authors Note at the end of the chapter, read it.**

Being the heir to an old family, noble, rich, or Hunter alike meant that you had to learn at least some of the courtesies that came with it. For Weiss, that was learning how to run the Schnee family accounts, for Jaune and Tristram, learning how to lead a force under arms and running a town or village, for Yang Xiao Long and Lie Ren, they had to learn how to carry on their family legacies, the Xiao Long fire and the Ren honor.

Ruby Rose had to learn how to manage a kingdom that had sat dormant for over a century, which had the effect of overwhelming the young Huntress with just how much she OWNED. "So you're saying that this is all yours?" Weiss had seen this as something to compare to, which then turned out to make what her family own look like a pile of rocks, which is what Dust is. "Yep, apparently we had more territory on Anima but that was ceded for the colonies belonging to Menagerie, as I was told." Weiss shuddered, if this alone is what the Rose family owned then her father would attempt anything to get it, something Weiss did not approve of.

"Though in comparison to Jaune, I actually have fewer people living on our lands, that and they're mostly Vampyres." Ruby had been talking to Weiss about how she was going to run her soon to be kingdom and the partners had come to the conclusion that the Lords should run their lands as Ruby ruled in the soon to be resettled Rosewood in the border territory between the northernmost parts of Vale and Vacuo, an act that had pleased both governments as Vacuo wanted closer relations to the Vampyres and actually knowing the capital of those who were currently bleeding to keep the grimm out was definitely a first step in the right direction.

Weiss had heard of many a council meeting addressing the lands owned by the Vampyres and what to do with it, which was very quickly being decided that since their kingdom would soon re emerge they would allow the Vampyres to hold and rule over their own territory, for fear of the Vampyres abandoning them completely they had brokered an agreement seeing the immortal race establish villages and outposts on the borders of the kingdoms while the wanderers that had served King Thorn in the past would mainly resettle the town of Rosewood and the surrounding territory while the Vampyres who lived in the already established holdings in each kingdom would remain there unless they decided otherwise.

The more normal nobles in Vale had argued otherwise, only to be shouted down by the majority seeing as how Vale was still mustering her armies to a better standard than before when they served as police officers and the like. Meanwhile there were the upper class in Atlas, following her father for the most part in throwing a fit over all the lost profit that could have been made through exploiting the isolated Vampyres.

While Weiss was thinking on the more political effects of the Rose holdings Ruby, Blake and Yang had been talking about where they should go between Rosewood and Menagerie. "I would rather be away from my mother when she finds out that dad is alive." Blake argued, seemingly calm but still giving off worry.

"C'mon Blakey it'll be fine, we can just wander around while they sort it out." Yang countered, with Ruby also siding with Yang, Weiss was Blake's last hope for avoiding what she had christened 'The ultimate tornado of doom' that was her mother finding out her father lived and had not once returned home to help her manage the many clans that occupied Menagerie and were ruled by her as Chieftess.

"I side with Ruby and Yang in this, I feel that meeting the people who my father has oppressed for so long and declaring my intentions upon inheriting should calm some of the more nervous people who are in Menagerie." Blake slumped onto her bed, defeated she huffed and sat up after a moment of thought.

"Alright, but if she destroys me with sheer force of will then I am going to haunt the rest of you!" Blake declared much to Yang's amusement. "Then I guess I'll have to be haunted by a ghost Blake." Yang stated as she shrugged.

Blake groaned as Ruby took out her scroll and began the process of signing up for the supply escort mission to Menagerie.

The sun shone brightly as Ashford and Blake stood on the deck of the airship that was taking them and others to Menagerie. "I mean, will she tear my head off? I'm concerned she may not even want to talk to me." Blake rolled her eyes as her father thought of all the ways this could go wrong.

Whitley had become another constant addition to what Ashford and Grimoire had called the 'Rose Court' seeing as how it also had team JNPR and their new unexpected fifth member. The young man was talking with Yang and Ruby off to the side, talking about their childhoods and the like to break the ice.

"Dad, I am ninety percent sure that Mom will not tear your head off… well at least not immediately." Ashford paled as he thought of all the excuses he could possibly make. They could see the Island of Menagerie in the distance, with at least three other ships following theirs the small convoy was probably the largest group of vessels to approach Menagerie with supplies since it becoming it's own minor kingdom.

The first gangplanks were lowered as the Vampyric contingent began to unload while Ashford, wearing his old clothes that he had fixed as much as possible lead team RWBY and his apprentice towards the center of town. They only made it to the square when Kali Belladonna caught them.

"Ashford? Is that you?" Kali Belladonna stood stock still in shock, seeing her dead husband leading a group of teenagers, among them her daughter through town.

"Hello Kali, It's good to be back." Kali stared at him for a moment, noting his tinted eyes before looking over at Blake, "One moment dear."

She stepped forward and as Ashford had expected, decked him hard enough to send him off the ground with a most satisfying sound of his nose crunching. "Yeah, I deserved that… ow."

Ashford began to sit up when Kali grabbed him by his collar, "That was for not telling us you were alive." and dragged him into an embrace. "And this is for finally coming back."

After a brief amount of time introductions were made whereupon Kali met the two rogue Schnee's her daughter had befriended. "You must be Weiss and Whitely, a pleasure to see that Nicholas's sense of equality made it through your father's gauntlet."

While Weiss had greeted Kali the same as Yang and Ruby Whiteley greeted her in a more, _Gentlemanly_ manner left over from his father's influence. Which served to amuse Kali a slight amount as she guided them into the Belladonna house which was to both Ashford and Blake's surprise, being partially used as a shelter for refugees, many of whom looked tired and beaten down.

"Their from Anima, the invasion there caused a wave of refugees to flee in any direction they could, these are the only ones who made it to us." Ashford's teeth ground against each other as he thought of the conflict, it may be going well militarily but for the civilian population it had torn normality apart and left thousands in the streets and wilderness for the Grimm and White Fang to feast upon.

Whitely was looking around at the survivors from Anima, Humans and Faunus taken in in the aftermath of Minstrel's violent fall, wondering how this had occurred. If he was going to be learning from the Belladonnas it would likely be best for him to help them as well. "Is there anything I can do?" Kali smiled at the youngest Schnee, pondering herself what he would be able to do.

"We need more space to put people, it has always been a problem but now more than ever we're running out of places to put people and it's driving the clan council and I insane." Whitely looked over from where he was standing and politely stepped forward,

"Mam? What is the clan council? My father was quite adamant that I not learn about Menagerie other than a few minor facts, or what he considered facts, especially when I began to show an interest in the political mayhem caused by the battle at Beacon." Kali nodded in understanding, many people were not aware there was a council, but there had to be someone to watch the Chief or Chieftess so the council was formed to do so.

"The clan council is our way of counteracting my power in case I go crazy, no thanks to you two," She stated, glaring at Ashford and Blake, "It is also in place to run the administrative parts of Menagerie, like lists of people, occupations, etcetera, granted they are rather inexperienced." Whitely nodded as he looked his notepad over.

"Might I be able to assist in sorting through the information with them?" Kali nodded gesturing for one of the idle Faunus to guide Whitely to the Administrative headquarters while she caught up with her daughter.

The first thing Whitely noticed about the Administrative headquarters was how utterly shambly it was, the roof was falling apart, the door had no lock and the walls were falling apart as well. How the building had lasted this long was a miracle but Whitely would deal with that later, now he had to get into his voluntary role as Administrative support.

He knocked on the door gently, fearing it would fall and to his credit it did not, for a moment. The crash did elicit responses from the workplaces inhabitants, stirring a man sleeping on the hammock in the center of the room from his slumber and startling the two young looking fauni who were at the computers. "Sorry this door seems rather, flimsy."

"Who are you and what are doing here criticizing my door?" Whitely turned to respond and found that he had difficulty responding as a Faunus woman glared down at him from the steps up to the next floor. She was garbed in a white button up shirt over a purple suit vest that had a snake print pattern dancing across it, she also wore a grey knee length skirt with many pockets sewn into it.

"Aine Qetesh, personnel information collection head. What can I do for you Schnee?" Whitely nodded and straightened.

"I'm here to assist your administrative group with organization and supply organization from Vale and Mantle." The woman raised a brow to him, before walking in a slow circle around him, observing him with teal slitted eyes.

"Seeking redemption for your family?" Whitely snorted a smile coming to his face.

"For grampa Nicholas and my sisters, my parents are not good examples of Schnee's, we are rather independent about who we listen to." Aine smirked.

"Good, now let's get to it then, ." She walked back upstairs to her office, boots thumping on the floorboards until they were overhead.

"That was quick, boss already likes him." Whitely turned with a raised brow towards the lounging workers. "Don't dissapoint kid, seems she likes you quite a bit." The man rolled over and dozed some more as Whitely went off to work.

In a dark, shadowed cell beneath Chains Gate, a man turned beast gnaws at his shackled hand, trying to thin the flesh enough for him to pull free from the chain and to escape into the sunshine above. His stump of a right arm hangs limply, a jagged bone jutting out of the bloodied bandage.

He smiled to himself in triumph, his hand slipped through the slick iron shakle and he limped towards the door, eyes blazing as he picked up and threw a rock into his former corner of the cell, the guard outside startled and opened the door, wearily marching in, he could see the dog ears rotating on the man's head, moving hair aside as he scanned the cell before Adam's improvised weapon, his own jagged bone from his arm, tore through the faunus's spine, killing him instantly. Adam hissed in pain and tore the key's from the man's hands, he limped out of his cell, quietly starting chaos as he escaped into Vale by releasing the other White Fang survivors.

He knew they would not last long but they would suffice as a distraction.

He had escaped Vale by the time the day was out, a small band of survivors had gotten out alongside him and they had made it to sea without much trouble. Adam needed to hide somewhere, and Menagerie was looking like one of the prime locations to do so, at least for , after he had recovered he would go to Brutus, the coward owed him immortality, to bring the humans low, to create an ultimate force against those he had encountered at Beacon, he would need an army, bigger than his last.

 **Alright guys imma be honest , I need some new input on the story, the plot, the shebang. So I'm putting a question out, who would like to be my Beta? To read what I've written and hell who knows maybe get attached into a the main doc that I'm using to write this on google docs. I hope you all have a nice day, imma do some other writing for a bit until I get a beta, peace.**


	31. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

**Hello, all!**

 **In recent days I have been reviewing this story and have come to the conclusion that I need to rewrite it in its entirety, I thank those of you who have been reviewing as of late, primarily the reviewer whose title was A.**

 **I hope you all have a nice day and that if you wish to assist by being a Beta Reader for the rewrite please PM me.**

 **-LG**


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